House panel OKs new district map
By a vote of 11 to 5, the House Redistricting Committee on Tuesday approved a plan redrawing the Texas House map that, according to its sponsor, creates a total of 30 Latino opportunity districts.
When committee chairman Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, submitted his original plan last week, his map decreased the number of Latino opportunity seats by one; the map the committee approved Tuesday increases the number by two.
The two additional House districts where the percentage of Spanish surname voter registration now surpasses 50 percent currently are held by Democrats — Houston Rep. Jessica Farrar and Rep. Lon Burnam, of Fort Worth.
Solomons' adjustments, as he acknowledged, was an effort to head off any problems his map might encounter during federal review under the Voting Rights Act. Latino growth made up 65 percent of the 4.3 million overall population increase in Texas since 2000, and under federal law any plan adopted must address that growth without being "retrogressive."
All 4 Dems voted against
The four Democrats on the committee were not satisfied with their chairman's changes. Contending that the Solomons map still does not properly reflect the growth in the state's Latino population during the past decade, they offered several amendments. All were rejected.
"The plan passed out of committee today splits communities of interest and denies proper representation to people of color — but particularly Hispanics — who drove the population growth in Texas for the past decade," declared state Rep. Robert Alonzo, D-Dallas.
In addition to the four Democrats on the committee, Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, voted against the bill.
Committee member Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, objected to the speed with which the Solomons plan was adopted, saying it did not allow the committee time to consider changes made to the bill Tuesday.
She also opposed reducing Harris County districts from 25 to 24, ostensibly because the county's population growth was not enough to warrant a 25th seat. She said she could not get a satisfactory answer why from her Republican colleagues.
In years past, Rep. Alvardo said, population totals always were rounded up, so numbers warranting slightly more than 24 seats were bumped to 25. Harris County has had at least 25 members since 1982.
The answer is simple, according to University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray, a redistricting expert. In 2001, he said, Republicans drawing the House map calculated it was easier to win in Harris County with 25 seats.
"They feel now they can more easily protect incumbents with a 24-seat plan," Murray said. "The population hasn't changed, but the political situation is different."
Now goes to full House
Under the Solomons plan, state Reps. Scott Hochberg and Hubert Vo, both Houston Democrats, are paired, meaning they will have to run against each other or move into another district. Both districts are protected by the Voting Rights Act.
"We accept that this is a political process, and Democrats have about a third of the votes," said committee member Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio. "We're not drawing the map, but we do feel obligated to protect the Voting Rights Act."
The GOP enjoys a 101-49 super-majority in the state House. But numerous Republican House members will be pitted against each other in areas where the population is shrinking.
House Bill 150 now goes to the full House, where it can still be amended.
"This is not a stagnant bill," Solomons said. "It's going to be scrutinized, amendments added. It's not the final vote."