While one redistricting panel Wednesday set a self-imposed deadline of late July to redraw legislative districts, another panel said it will decide by the end of this month whether to ask Gov. Rick Perry to call a special legislative session on congressional redistricting. The Senate Redistricting Committee, meanwhile, agreed to spend the rest of this month trying to devise district maps for the Texas congressional delegation and the state Board of Education, which then could be considered in a special legislative session. Lawmakers failed to pass any redistricting plans during the regular session.
Reapportionment is required after each census.
The LRB elected Attorney General John Cornyn as chairman and Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander as vice chairman. Other members are Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, House Speaker Pete Laney and Land Commissioner David Dewhurst. The panel scheduled public testimony on legislative redistricting June 18 and testimony from state lawmakers on June 26. Board members will then offer formal redistricting plans on July 10, with a public hearing on those plans July 16. A final board vote was scheduled for July 24.