[Comments will be taken online at this link https://comments.house.texas.gov/home until the committee meeting is adjourned. The bill number is HB4 and the map is Plan C2308.]
Is it illegal to redistrict now? No. Is Texas growing significantly? Yes. Do the districts as drawn by Plan C2308 comply with applicable law and court decisions? Yes. Other than politics which enters into everything the legislature does no matter the bill number or issue, is there any reason this should not be done? No.
The diatribe coming from those in the opposing political party is no different than the diatribe that comes from any opposition party, unhappy with the fact that they don’t have the majority and can’t stop adoption should the proposing party stick together in their votes. Wipe away the political posturing and there is no reason this bill and map should not be adopted.
Voters ultimately get to choose by casting votes. Adopting this Big Beautiful Map and HB4 does not guarantee any outcome at the polls. That’s clear from the outcome at the polls in many elections. They’re called upsets. They happen in every election.
So, take a vote and pass the map immediately upon the end of public testimony. There will be a quorum and no reason to delay that vote. I doubt any member of the committee is going to change his/her vote, so get the job done. Do not adjourn until the vote is taken and the map is adopted!
Want to watch the August 1 (final) TX House committee hearing? It’s here: https://house.texas.gov/videos/22418
ADDENDUM:
Every member of this committee with the exception of Tom Oliverson and Hillary Gail Hickland voted to impeach Ken Paxton. They voted based on data provided with less than 24 hours notice. Now, the Committee Dems are whining about only having the bill and map 48 hours before today’s hearing. Yet, on Ken Paxton: silence! Disingenuous!
Chair: Rep. Cody Vasut (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Vice Chair: Rep. Jon E. Rosenthal (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Members: Rep. Josey Garcia (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Rep. R. D. “Bobby” Guerra (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Rep. Ryan Guillen (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Rep. Cole Hefner (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Rep. Hillary Gail Hickland (N/A, Rep)
Rep. Jolanda Jones (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Rep. Christian Manuel (Y on Paxton, Dem)
Rep. Tom Oliverson (absent, Rep)
Rep. David Spiller (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Rep. Carl Tepper (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Rep. Terry M. Wilson (Y on Paxton, Rep)
Rep. Gene Wu (Y on Paxton, Dem)