Thread by @RANewsTX

The Senate #Redistricting Committee is meeting now to hear invited and public testimony on the new proposed Congressional maps, #SB6. We'll be live-tweeting on this 🧵. Follow along

Here's the map: dvr.capitol.texas.gov/Congress/14/PL…

Live-stream: tlcsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.ph…
#txlege

.@joanhuffman says they'll start w/invited witnesses, who were recommended by Senate Redistricting Cmte members. She says next week, the cmte will vote on amendments and #SB6 overall. #txlege

1st invited witness is Gloria Leal, #Redistricting Chair for State @LULAC & on behalf of Pres. @Domingotexas.

Her #SB6 testimony will be somewhat general since they haven't had enough time to fully analyze the maps but plan on submitting more testimony/amendments later. #txlege

.@LULAC urges the TX Senate to revise the congressional map so that they're in compliance w/14th amendment & VRA. They also want a less partisan map (FYI: there's only 1 competitive district under the new lines). #SB6 #redistricting #txlege

LULAC: should've been an increase in Hispanic &minority representation based on pop. growth. The Constitution requires minority-majority districts be maintained w/out packing & dilution.
Under new map:
Hispanic-opportunity districts⬇️8->7
White-majority districts ⬆️22->23
#txlege

LULAC witness: at the very least there should be one more Hispanic opportunity district in any of the metro areas (like DFW) where the most Hispanic population growth has been. #txlege #SB6 #redistricting

Huffman introduces the proposed congressional map #SB6 and says it complies with VRA and the Constitution. Says she welcomes alternative proposals, including from incumbents. #txlege #redistricting

Whitmire raises the issue of Harris Co. Congressional Reps. @JacksonLee18 & @algreen were paired in the same district (#TX9).

Huffman says this plan is from TX Congressional delegation whose map drawer didn't have incumbent homes, it was likely unintentional. #txlege

Huffman clarifies she's talking about the GOP TX Congressional delegation. She heard from @RepMcCaul via Chris Gobert(?). The TX House got the same map from them at the same time. Since then, she has made some changes, which is now PLAN2101. #SB6 #txlege

https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1443586229144997890

Huffman says it's her understanding that the GOP congressional delegation map was also done race-blind similar to the way she has done for the Senate map. #SB6 #redistricting #txlege

Correction earlier. Meant to tag @RepAlGreen.

https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1443586229144997890

Sen. @CarolforTexas reads from a letter sent from Reps. Jackson Lee and Green. Very minor adjustments would be needed to bring 9th district and 18th district, which are both a little above the average, to the new ideal population. #SB6 #txlege

Sen. @JudithZaffirini asks if there have been objections made by incumbents to the new map to the #SB6 author. Huffman says she's not aware of any to her or her staff. #txlege

Answering another Q by Zaffirini, Huffman says in her opinion the population growth of minorities is reflected in the new congressional map. #SB6 #txlege

Sen. @CesarJBlanco clarifies if Fort Bliss & El Paso int'l airport is being removed from #TX16 (anchored in El Paso) & put into #TX23. Huffman says yes.

Blanco says those 2 areas have been in TX-16 since the 60s. #SB6 #txlege

Blanco asks if Huffman has talked w/incumbents. She says no. She repeats that she's only talked to the Republican TX congressional delegation through their attorney. #SB6 #txlege

.@CesarJBlanco argues that having a congressional member living near Fort Bliss as is the case currently in #TX16 is favorable to having it represented by some1 who lives hundreds of miles away in #TX23. Says Fort Bliss is an economic engine &a community of interest. #SB6 #txlege

Huffman agrees w/Blanco that Fort Bliss creates a community of interest.

She invites proposals that will meet the legal requirements for all districts involved. #SB6 #redistricting #txlege

https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1443592543619452929

.@BorrisLMiles asks Huffman if African Am opportunity districts (#TX18 & #TX9) are being protected when considered in making #SB6 PLAN2101. She says race wasn't considered when GOP Congressional delegation was drawing it or when she did. They did submit it for compliance. #txlege

Miles asks if communities of interests being kept together were considered when #TX18 & #TX9 were being redrawn.

Huffman says yes, but says race was not considered. #SB6 #txlege

In reference to Huffman's point of contact for the Republican Texas congressional delegation in discussions about the new #redistricting maps:

https://twitter.com/edwonkkimmy/status/1443595738517286919

#txlege #SB6

Per Huffman, apparently, @JacksonLeeTX18's home address was not provided on request to @TXLegeCouncil. Miles said he'll let them know what it is since she lives near him. #txlege #SB6

Miles reads the whole letter that Alvarado read earlier re:Harris County African American opportunity congressional districts (#TX18 & #TX9). Some of the communities of interest, which are also economic engines, have been separated for the first time in 50 years. #SB6 #txlege

Per Miles, @SenRoyceWest could not be at the redistricting hearing today due to COVID19. #txlege

.@TxChuy asks about what factors were considered when making #TX15 to a GOP district (R+3) & a #TX34 as a slightly less Democratic district.

Huffman repeats that the same redistricting objectives (as well as partisan shadings) were used w/out consideration of race. #SB6 #txlege

.@mcpli of the @BrennanCenter is the next invited witness on #SB6. By failing to make enough minority opportunity districts & splitting minority communities apart especially in Dallas & Fort Bend, the map is discriminating against voters of color. #txlege

.@mcpli says it's not clear that the TX Senate has a full understanding of its obligations under voting rights laws. #SB6 #txlege

.@mcpli references a Huffman comment last week that SCOTUS Bartlett v. Strickland ruling barred minority coalition districts. Li says that's not what the ruling said. Instead, it was about crossover districts where Anglos are a majority. #SB6 #txlege

https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1443601456116944896

Full disclosure: not so clear on all the legal terms in redistricting. When possible, we'll try to share explainers.

Back to the testimony. @mcpli says unlike in past rounds, @TXLegeCouncil has not issued #redistricting guidance. @TXAG has not released it either. There should be formal guidance released publicly rather than it coming out in litigation. #SB6 #txlege

@mcpli says Latino population is underrepresented in Dallas County.

Dallas+Tarrant should have 3 Latino opportunity districts together, as their Latino population is the same as Harris, which also should have 3. Dallas & Tarrant under new maps, #SB6, only have 2. #txlege

To @whitmire_john's question, @mcpli said you do have to consider race in redistricting. To comply with the law, it's impossible not to. It's a nuanced inquiry re: political cohesion. Said the current "color-blind" process described by Huffman is not sufficient. #SB6 #txlege

As to factors to be considered during redistricting, @mcpli says one of the most important things would be to look at minority opportunity districts. #SB6 #txlege

Also to another @whitmire_john question, Li says race should be one factor (but not the only one as that's unconstitutional) when considering communities of interest re: redistricting. #SB6 #txlege

Zaffirini asks if there are any minority coalition districts. @mcpli: #TX33 is a minority coalition district, on the verge of a Latino-majority district based on VAP. Also says there can be an additional minority coalition district (possibly #TX3 in DFW or in Fort Bend). #txlege

.@mcpli says North TX & Fort Bend are the 2 places where there are possible VRA violations. Points to #TX33 which should be a Latino majority district. Sugar Land is split in 3 ways, where #TX7 comes down from Houston to pick up minorities in suburban Fort Bend. #SB6 #txlege

The last invited witness on #SB6 is Robert Notzon from @TexasNAACP, who is testifying as its President @G_bledsoe is unable to. #txlege

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