TITLE: Relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas.

SUMMARY: Relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of 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 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 PLANC238 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 2. 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 plan for Texas' congressional districts for use in the 2012 elections; (2) the district court's interim plan for Texas' congressional districts complies 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 plan for Texas' congressional districts as a permanent plan 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 United States House of Representatives from Texas. SECTION 3. Chapter 1 (S.B. 4), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, 1st Called Session, 2011 (Article 197j, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is repealed. SECTION 4. 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.