83R14290 DRH-D
 
  By: Darby H.B. No. 3840
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the composition of districts for the election of
  members of the Texas Legislature and the United States House of
  Representatives from Texas.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The interim redistricting plan used to elect
  members of the Texas House of Representatives in 2012 ordered by the
  United States District Court for the Western District of Texas on
  February 28, 2012, in the case of Perez, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No.
  SA-11-CV-360), and identified as PLANH309 on the redistricting
  computer system operated by the Texas Legislative Council, is
  hereby ratified and adopted as the permanent plan for districts
  used to elect members of the Texas House of Representatives.
         SECTION 2.  The interim redistricting plan used to elect
  members of the Texas Senate in 2012 ordered by the United States
  District Court for the Western District of Texas on February 28,
  2012, in the case of Davis, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No.
  SA-11-CV-788), and identified as PLANS172 on the redistricting
  computer system operated by the Texas Legislative Council, is
  hereby ratified and adopted as the permanent plan for districts
  used to elect members of the Texas Senate.
         SECTION 3.  The interim redistricting plan used to elect
  members of the United States House of Representatives from the
  State of Texas in 2012 ordered by the United States District Court
  for the Western District of Texas on February 28, 2012, in the case
  of Perez, et al. v. Perry, et al. (No. SA-11-CV-360), and identified
  as PLANC235 on the redistricting computer system operated by the
  Texas Legislative Council, is hereby ratified and adopted as the
  permanent plan for districts used to elect members of the United
  States House of Representatives from the State of Texas.
         SECTION 4.  In making this enactment the legislature finds
  that:
               (1)  the United States District Court for the Western
  District of Texas properly applied the decision of the United
  States Supreme Court on January 20, 2012, in Perry, et al. v. Perez,
  et al., 565 U.S. ____ (2012) (per curiam), in the creation of the
  district court's interim plans for use in the 2012 elections;
               (2)  the district court's interim plans comply with all
  federal and state constitutional provisions or laws applicable to
  redistricting plans, including the federal Voting Rights Act; and
               (3)  the adoption of the district court's interim plans
  as permanent plans by the Texas Legislature will:
                     (A)  diminish the expense of further time and
  money by all parties in Texas' ongoing redistricting litigation;
                     (B)  avoid disruption of the upcoming election
  cycle; and
                     (C)  provide certainty and continuity to the
  citizens of Texas regarding the districts used to elect members of
  the legislature and the United States House of Representatives from
  Texas.
         SECTION 5.  The following laws are repealed:
               (1)  Chapter 1271 (H.B. 150), Acts of the 82nd
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2011 (Article 195a-12, Vernon's
  Texas Civil Statutes);
               (2)  Chapter 1315 (S.B. 31), Acts of the 82nd
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2011 (Article 193e, Vernon's Texas
  Civil Statutes); and
               (3)  Chapter 1 (S.B. 4), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
  1st Called Session, 2011 (Article 197j, Vernon's Texas Civil
  Statutes).
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2013.