MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON REDISTRICTING
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
1:30 p.m.
Betty King Committee Room, 2E.20
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate
Rule 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on
Redistricting was held on Tuesday, June 26, 2001, in
the Betty King Committee Room, 2E.20, of the State
Capitol in Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jeff Wentworth Senator David Cain
Senator Mike Jackson Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Mario Gallegos
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 1:44 p.m.
There being a quorum present, the following business
was transacted:
The following member arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Mario Gallegos
Senator Duncan moved to adopt the committee minutes
from the previous hearing on Thursday, June 14, 2001.
There being no objection, the minutes were adopted.
The chair announced that the purpose of this meeting
was to continue taking testimony on Congressional and
State Board of Education plans. The chair reminded
those who wished to provide testimony to fill out
witness registration cards.
The chair recognized Senator Duncan to lay out and
offer an explanation of his proposed plan for the State
Board of Education Districts. Senator Duncan stated
that PLAN 01011E, which was a result of working with
some of the members of the State Board of Education, is
an attempt to achieve a balance with the board members.
Senator Duncan informed the committee members that PLAN
01011E compressed the deviation as well as addressed
the concerns that Mr. Montgomery and Chairman Shore
raised about the Miller PLAN 01009E. Senator Duncan
stated that Districts 1, 3, 7, 10, and 15 were changed
from the Miller plan and that Districts 11, 12, and 13
were not.
The committee members questioned Senator Duncan about
his proposed PLAN 01011E. In response to a question
from Senator Shapiro, Senator Duncan stated that he had
not polled the members, so he did not know how many of
the 15 supported his plan.
Public testimony was taken on Congressional and State
Board of Education redistricting, and committee members
questioned the witnesses.
State Board of Education member Dr. Joe Bernal
testified that he is still in favor of the Miller plan
which has been a work in progress since April. Dr.
Bernal stated that the Miller plan is fair and
equitable to everyone, and he opposes the plan laid out
by Senator Duncan.
State Board of Education member Geraldine "Tincy"
Miller stated that she was resubmitting her bipartisan
working plan which has the support of 11 board members.
Ms. Miller testified that her plan is fair and
equitable and considers all of the concerns of the
members while meeting the appropriate and required
guidelines. Ms. Miller stated her opposition to
Senator Duncan's plan which she believes disregards
communities of interest and changes the political
character of three districts, those being districts 3,
7, and 10.
State Board of Education member David Bradley testified
that he has supported the Miller plan from the start.
Mr. Bradley stated that this plan has the support of 11
of the 15 board members. Mr. Bradley informed the
committee that under Senator Duncan's plan, Republicans
would lose two seats and the plan would put the entire
coast in his district. Senator Duncan questioned Mr.
Bradley about the two plans submitted to the committee.
In response to a question by Senator Armbrister, Mr.
Pat O'Grady, consultant to State Board of Education
member Geraldine "Tincy" Miller, will conduct the same
types of tests to the Duncan plan that were applied to
the Miller plan.
State Board of Education member Don McLeroy testified
that he benefits greatly from Senator Duncan's plan;
however, he does not support the proposed plan. Mr.
McLeroy stated that the Miller plan works with all of
the members of the board.
Ms. Donna Howard testified that the Duncan plan is not
only more compact than the Miller plan, but it also
returns Travis County to one district. Ms. Howard
stated that she is concerned about alignment and does
not believe that incumbent protection should be the
principal focus of the new map.
State Board of Education member Judy Strickland stated
she supports what's best for the State of Texas and
District 15. Ms. Strickland testified that under the
Miller Plan she would have 67 counties and under the
Duncan plan she would have 72 counties. Ms. Strickland
will work with the consensus to come up with a plan.
State Board of Education member Rene Nuez testified
that he is one of the four who does not support the
Miller plan. Mr. Nuez informed the committee that the
Miller plan destroys District 5 represented by Mr. Dan
Montgomery. Mr. Nuez stated his support for Senator
Duncan's plan.
In a response to questions by Senator Zaffirini
regarding Congressional redistricting, the chair stated
he is responding to a letter written by Governor Perry
and sent to Speaker Laney and Lt. Governor Ratliff, and
that he was hopeful that an agreement could be reached
on a Congressional map.
The chair distributed proposed Congressional PLAN
01082C to the committee members, and a discussion took
place. The chair announced that this proposed plan
would establish a new Hispanic Congressional District
based in and around Webb county as well as establishing
a new African-American Congressional District in the
Houston/Galveston area.
Senator Gallegos stated his concerns about the 29th
Congressional District in Houston, and that the plan
leaves out Hispanic communities that were cut up by the
Federal courts since the 1991 redistricting.
The chair announced his hope that the next meeting
would take place on July 5 or July 6, 2001, and
requested committee members share their preferences
with committee staff.
There being no further business, at 3:21 p.m., the
chair announced that the Committee would stand in
recess subject to the call of the chair. Without
objection, the committee recessed.
______________________
Senator Jeff Wentworth, Chair
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Robert Haley, Clerk