88(R) HJR 15 - Introduced version - Bill Text

	88R195 BEF-D
	By:  Howard	H.J.R.  No.  15

	A JOINT RESOLUTION
	proposing a constitutional amendment establishing an independent
	redistricting commission to establish districts for the election of
	the members of the United States House of Representatives elected
	from this state, the Texas Senate, and the Texas House of
	Representatives.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION  1.    Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
	adding Section 28a to read as follows:
	Sec.  28a.    The independent redistricting commission
	established under Article XVIII of this constitution exercises the
	legislative authority of this state to adopt redistricting plans
	for the election of members of the United States House of
	Representatives elected from this state, the Texas House of
	Representatives, and the Texas Senate.  Districts for those
	legislative bodies may not be established or changed except as
	provided by that article.
	SECTION  2.    Sections 7a(e) and (i), Article V, Texas
	Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
	(e)    Unless the legislature enacts a statewide
	reapportionment of the judicial districts following each federal
	decennial census, the board shall convene not later than the first
	Monday of June of the third year following the year in which the
	federal decennial census is taken to make a statewide
	reapportionment of the districts.  The board shall complete its
	work on the reapportionment and file its order with the secretary of
	state not later than August 31 of the same year.  If the Judicial
	Districts Board fails to make a statewide apportionment by that
	date, the independent redistricting commission [Legislative
	Redistricting Board] established under  [by] Article XVIII [III,
	Section 28,] of this constitution shall convene on September 1 of
	the same year to make a statewide reapportionment of the judicial
	districts not later than the 90th [150th] day after the final day
	for the Judicial Districts Board to make the reapportionment.
	(i)    The legislature, the Judicial Districts Board, or the
	independent redistricting commission [Legislative Redistricting
	Board] may not redistrict the judicial districts to provide for any
	judicial district smaller in size than an entire county except as
	provided by this section. Judicial districts smaller in size than
	the entire county may be created subsequent to a general election
	where a majority of the persons voting on the proposition adopt the
	proposition "to allow the division of ____________ County into
	judicial districts composed of parts of ____________ County." No
	redistricting plan may be proposed or adopted by the legislature,
	the Judicial Districts Board, or the independent redistricting
	commission [Legislative Redistricting Board] in anticipation of a
	future action by the voters of any county.
	SECTION  3.    The Texas Constitution is amended by adding
	Article XVIII to read as follows:
	ARTICLE XVIII. INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
	Sec.  1.    DEFINITIONS. In this article:
	(1)    "Commission" means the independent redistricting
	commission established under this article.
	(2)    "Nonpartisan agency" means the agency designated
	or established under Part 1, Subchapter E, of this article.
	(3)    "Redistricting plan" means a plan that establishes
	the boundaries of districts used for the election of the members of,
	as applicable:
	(A)    the United States House of Representatives
	elected from this state;
	(B)    the Texas Senate; or
	(C)    the Texas House of Representatives.
	(4)    "Select committee" means the committee appointed
	under Part 2, Subchapter E, of this article.
	(5)    "Selection pool" means the approved selection pool
	under Part 2, Subchapter C, of this article.
	SUBCHAPTER B. COMMISSION
	PART 1. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS