Bill Text: TX SJR56 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing the Texas Redistricting Commission and providing redistricting procedures for state legislative, state judicial, and congressional districts.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-14 - Referred to State Affairs [SJR56 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SJR56-Introduced.html
  86R10723 JRJ-D
 
  By: West, Johnson S.J.R. No. 56
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment establishing the Texas
  Redistricting Commission and providing redistricting procedures
  for state legislative, state judicial, and congressional
  districts.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 28, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Redistricting
  Commission.
               (2)  "Majority party" means the political party with
  the most members among the combined membership of the Texas Senate
  and the Texas House of Representatives.
               (3)  "Minority party" means the political party with
  the second highest number of members among the combined membership
  of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.
         (b)  Following [The Legislature shall, at its first regular
  session after] the publication of each United States decennial
  census, [apportion] the state shall be apportioned into senatorial
  and representative districts, agreeable to the provisions of
  Sections 25 and 26 of this article [Article].  The legislature and
  the Texas Redistricting Commission exercise the legislative
  authority of this state to adopt redistricting plans for the
  election of the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate,
  and the members of the United States House of Representatives
  elected from this state in the manner provided by this section and
  Section 28a of this article. Districts for those legislative
  bodies may not be established or changed except as provided by this
  section and Section 28a of this article.
         (c)  The commission consists of the following seven members:
               (1)  the governor;
               (2)  the comptroller;
               (3)  the secretary of state;
               (4)  one member appointed by the speaker of the Texas
  House of Representatives;
               (5)  one member appointed by majority vote of the party
  caucus for the political party with the most members in the Texas
  House of Representatives of which the speaker of the Texas House of
  Representatives is not a member;
               (6)  one member appointed by the president of the Texas
  Senate; and
               (7)  one member appointed by majority vote of the party
  caucus for the political party with the most members in the Texas
  Senate of which the president of the Texas Senate is not a member.
         (d)  An appointed member of the commission may not be a
  current member of Congress.
         (e)  Two members of the commission serve as co-chairs.  One
  co-chair is selected by majority vote of the members of the Texas
  Senate and the Texas House of Representatives who belong to the
  majority party and one co-chair is selected by majority vote of the
  members of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives
  who belong to the minority party.
         (f)  Except as otherwise provided by this section or Section
  28a of this article, a simple majority vote of the commission
  members is required for any action by the commission.
         (g)  Except as provided by Subsection (h) of this section, a
  majority vote of the members of the commission, including at least
  one member of the commission who belongs to the majority party and
  at least one member of the commission who belongs to the minority
  party, is required to:
               (1)  adopt rules of the commission;
               (2)  hire staff for the commission; or
               (3)  expend commission funds.
         (h)  If the commission is unable to agree, by the vote
  required under Subsection (g) of this section, on the manner in
  which commission funds should be expended, each co-chair has the
  authority to expend one-half of the funds appropriated to the
  commission.
         (i)  The affirmative vote of four members of the commission,
  including at least two members of the commission who belong to the
  majority party and two members of the commission who belong to the
  minority party, is required to adopt any redistricting plan for the
  Texas Senate or the Texas House of Representatives.
         (j)  For purposes of this section and Section 28a of this
  article:
               (1)  the governor is considered to belong to the
  governor's political party;
               (2)  the comptroller is considered to belong to the
  comptroller's political party;
               (3)  the secretary of state is considered to belong to
  the political party to which the governor who appointed the
  secretary of state belongs;
               (4)  a member of the commission appointed by the
  president of the Texas Senate or the speaker of the Texas House of
  Representatives is considered to belong to the political party to
  which the person making the appointment belongs; and
               (5)  a member of the commission selected by vote of a
  political party caucus is considered to belong to that political
  party.
         (k)  At the first meeting of the commission, which the
  governor may convene only in a year ending in the numeral one,
  except as otherwise provided by this section, Section 28a of this
  article, and Section 7a, Article V, of this constitution, the
  commission shall set a schedule for the adoption of procedural
  rules for the operation of the commission.
         (l)  Before adopting, but after introducing, a proposed
  redistricting plan for the Texas Senate or the Texas House of
  Representatives, the commission shall conduct at least three public
  hearings across the state to present the proposed plan and shall
  seek public input regarding the proposed plan.
         (m)  All meetings of the commission are open to the public.  
  The commission shall broadcast meetings by electronic means of
  transmission using a medium readily accessible by the general
  public.
         (n)  The commission shall adopt final redistricting plans
  for the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives not
  later than the first day of May of a year ending in the numeral one.
  After the commission adopts a final plan, the commission shall
  promptly file the plan with the secretary of state and [In the event
  the Legislature shall at any such first regular session following
  the publication of a United States decennial census, fail to make
  such apportionment, same shall be done by the Legislative
  Redistricting Board of Texas, which is hereby created, and shall be
  composed of five (5) members, as follows: The Lieutenant Governor,
  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General,
  the Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Commissioner of the
  General Land Office, a majority of whom shall constitute a quorum.
  Said Board shall assemble in the City of Austin within ninety (90)
  days after the final adjournment of such regular session. The Board
  shall, within sixty (60) days after assembling, apportion the state
  into senatorial and representative districts, or into senatorial or
  representative districts, as the failure of action of such
  Legislature may make necessary. Such apportionment shall be in
  writing and signed by three (3) or more of the members of the Board
  duly acknowledged as the act and deed of such Board, and,] when so
  [executed and] filed with the secretary of state [Secretary of
  State], the plan shall have force and effect of law. The plan
  becomes [Such apportionment shall become] effective at the next
  succeeding statewide general election.
         (o)  If the commission does not adopt a redistricting plan
  for the Texas House of Representatives or the Texas Senate under
  Subsection (n) of this section on or before the last day of May of a
  year ending in the numeral one, then the legislature shall adopt a
  plan for either or both legislative bodies, as necessary, in the
  form of a bill not later than the last day of June of that year.
         (o-1)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (o)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of
  the members of each house of the legislature, including the
  affirmative vote of at least one-third of the members of the
  majority party and at least one-third of the members of the minority
  party in each house, and the plan becomes law, the plan remains
  effective until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as
  provided in Subsection (u) of this section.
         (o-2)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (o)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least one-half of the
  members of each house of the legislature, but not by the vote
  required by Subsection (o-1) of this section, then the following
  requirements apply to the plan:
               (1)  the legislature may not adopt a plan that unduly
  favors or disfavors a political party or its incumbents;
               (2)  the legislature may not unduly split political
  subdivisions, giving preference to keeping counties whole, then to
  keeping municipalities whole;
               (3)  the legislature shall attempt to draw districts
  that are compact; and
               (4)  the legislature must include in the plan an
  explanation of the plan's compliance with Subdivisions (1), (2),
  and (3) of this subsection.
         (o-3)  A plan adopted in the manner provided by Subsection
  (o-2) of this section that becomes law remains effective until two
  general elections for the legislative body to which the plan
  applies have occurred under the plan, except as provided in
  Subsection (u) of this section.
         (p)  Not later than the last day of May of the year after the
  year in which a plan expires under Subsection (o-3) of this section,
  the commission shall be reconstituted, reconvene, and adopt a plan
  by the affirmative vote of at least four members of the commission,
  including at least two members of the commission who belong to the
  majority party and at least two members of the commission who belong
  to the minority party.  A plan adopted under this subsection takes
  effect upon filing with the secretary of state and remains
  effective until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as
  provided in Subsection (u) of this section.  A plan adopted under
  this subsection must be drawn using the federal decennial census
  data or other data on which the previous redistricting was based.
         (q)  If the commission is required to but does  not adopt a
  plan under Subsection (p) of this section on or before the last day
  of May of the year after the year in which a plan expires under
  Subsection (o-3) of this section, then the legislature shall adopt
  a plan in the form of a bill not later than the last day of June of
  that year.  A plan adopted under this subsection must be drawn using
  the federal decennial census data or other data on which the
  previous redistricting was based.
         (q-1)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (q)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of
  the members of each house of the legislature, including the
  affirmative vote of at least one-third of the members of the
  majority party and at least one-third of the members of the minority
  party in each house, and the plan becomes law, the plan remains
  effective until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as
  provided in Subsection (u) of this section.
         (q-2)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (q)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least one-half of the
  members of each house of the legislature, but not by the vote
  required by Subsection (q-1) of this section, then the following
  requirements apply to the plan:
               (1)  the legislature may not adopt a plan that unduly
  favors or disfavors a political party or its incumbents;
               (2)  the legislature may not unduly split political
  subdivisions, giving preference to keeping counties whole, then to
  keeping municipalities whole;
               (3)  the legislature shall attempt to draw districts
  that are compact; and
               (4)  the legislature must include in the plan an
  explanation of the plan's compliance with Subdivisions (1), (2),
  and (3) of this subsection.
         (q-3)  A plan adopted in the manner provided by Subsection
  (q-2) of this section that becomes law remains effective until the
  next year ending in the numeral one, except as provided in
  Subsection (u) of this section.
         (r)  Before the legislature adopts a plan under this section,
  a joint committee of the legislature shall hold at least two public
  committee hearings concerning a proposed plan.  The legislature and
  the commission shall facilitate and allow for the submission of
  proposed plans by members of the public in the manner provided by
  general law.
         (s)  For purposes of filing a plan with the governor or the
  secretary of state, a plan must include both a legal description of
  the boundaries of the districts for the Texas House of
  Representatives or the Texas Senate, as applicable, and all
  electronic data necessary to create a district map for the purpose
  of holding elections.
         (t)  When a plan ceases to be effective under this section,
  the district boundaries described in the plan continue in operation
  for the purpose of holding elections until a new plan takes effect
  in accordance with this section.  If a vacancy occurs in a district
  that was created under the previous plan, the election to fill the
  vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be held using
  the previous plan.
         (u)  In the event that any subsection of this section
  relating to a redistricting plan for the Texas House of
  Representatives or the Texas Senate or any district or group of
  districts is challenged and is determined to be invalid by a final
  order of a court of competent jurisdiction not subject to appeal,
  then notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
  commission shall be reconstituted and reconvene and shall adopt a
  plan in accordance with the valid provisions of this section, to be
  used until the next time for redistricting under this section.
         The commission shall adopt a plan under this subsection not
  later than the 30th day after the last day on which an appeal of the
  court order could have been filed or, if the order is not
  appealable, the 30th day after the day on which the order is issued.
         If the commission does not adopt a new plan in accordance with
  this subsection, then not later than the 30th day after the deadline
  for the commission to adopt the plan, the legislature shall adopt a
  plan in accordance with the valid provisions of this section, to be
  used until the next time for redistricting under this section.
         A plan adopted under this subsection must remedy any legal
  defects in the previous plan identified by the court but may not
  include changes to the previous plan other than those made in order
  to remedy those defects.
         (v)  Unless otherwise already convened, the legislature
  shall convene in special session on the first Tuesday that occurs
  during a period in which the legislature is required to adopt a plan
  under this section.
         (w)  The Supreme Court of Texas shall have jurisdiction to
  compel the commission [such Board] to perform its duties in
  accordance with the provisions of this section, Section 28a of this
  article, and Section 7a, Article V, of this constitution, by writ of
  mandamus or other extraordinary writs conformable to the usages of
  law.
         (x)  The legislature [Legislature] shall provide necessary
  funds for clerical and technical aid and for other expenses
  necessary or incidental to the work of the commission [Board, and
  the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House of
  Representatives shall be entitled to receive per diem and travel
  expense during the Board's session in the same manner and amount as
  they would receive while attending a special session of the
  Legislature].
         (y)  Four weeks after adopting redistricting plans for the
  legislature and, if necessary, for members of the United States
  House of Representatives elected from this state, the commission is
  automatically dissolved.  The commission shall be reconstituted and
  reconvene as provided by this section, Section 28a of this article,
  and Section 7a, Article V, of this constitution.
         SECTION 2.  Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
  adding Section 28a to read as follows:
         Sec. 28a.  (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Redistricting
  Commission established under Section 28 of this article.
               (2)  "Majority party" means the political party with
  the most members among the combined membership of the Texas Senate
  and the Texas House of Representatives.
               (3)  "Minority party" means the political party with
  the second highest number of members among the combined membership
  of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.
               (4)  "Plan" means a redistricting plan for the election
  of the members of the United States House of Representatives
  elected from this state, adopted as provided by this section.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided in this section, the
  legislature is responsible for the congressional redistricting of
  this state based on the prescribed number of congressional
  districts apportioned to the state under Section 2, Article I,
  United States Constitution.
         (c)  Not later than the last day of May of a year ending in
  the numeral one, the legislature shall adopt a plan in the form of a
  bill by the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the members
  of each house of the legislature, including the affirmative vote of
  at least one-half of the members of the majority party and at least
  one-half of the members of the minority party in each house.  A plan
  that is adopted under this subsection and becomes law remains
  effective until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as
  provided in Subsection (p) of this section.
         (d)  If the legislature does not adopt a plan under
  Subsection (c) of this section on or before the last day of May of a
  year ending in the numeral one, the commission shall adopt a plan
  not later than the last day of June of that year by the affirmative
  vote of at least four members of the commission, including at least
  two members of the commission who belong to the majority party and
  at least two members of the commission who belong to the minority
  party.  The plan takes effect upon filing with the secretary of
  state and remains effective until the next year ending in the
  numeral one, except as provided in Subsection (p) of this section.
         (e)  If the commission is required to but does not adopt a
  plan under Subsection (d) of this section on or before the last day
  of June of a year ending in the numeral one, then the legislature
  shall adopt a plan in the form of a bill not later than the last day
  of July of that year.
         (e-1)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (e)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of
  the members of each house of the legislature, including the
  affirmative vote of at least one-third of the members of the
  majority party and at least one-third of the members of the minority
  party represented in that house, and the plan becomes law, the plan
  remains effective until the next year ending in the numeral one,
  except as provided in Subsection (p) of this section.
         (e-2)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (e)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least one-half of the
  members of each house of the legislature, but not by the vote
  required by Subsection (e-1) of this section, then the following
  requirements apply to the plan:
               (1)  the legislature may not adopt a plan that unduly
  favors or disfavors a political party or its incumbents;
               (2)  the legislature may not unduly split political
  subdivisions, giving preference to keeping counties whole, then to
  keeping municipalities whole;
               (3)  the legislature shall attempt to draw districts
  that are compact, but Subsection (m)(2) of this section does not
  apply; and
               (4)  the legislature must include in the plan an
  explanation of the plan's compliance with Subdivisions (1), (2),
  and (3) of this subsection.
         (e-3)  A plan adopted in the manner provided by Subsection
  (e-2) of this section that becomes law remains effective until two
  general elections for the United States House of Representatives
  have occurred under the plan, except as provided in Subsection (p)
  of this section.
         (f)  Not later than the last day of May of the year after the
  year in which a plan expires under Subsection (e-3) of this section,
  the legislature shall adopt a plan in the form of a bill by the
  affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the members of each
  house of the legislature, including the affirmative vote of at
  least one-half of the members of the majority party and at least
  one-half of the members of the minority party in each house. A plan
  adopted under this subsection that becomes law remains effective
  until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as provided in
  Subsection (p) of this section.  A plan adopted under this
  subsection must be drawn using the federal decennial census data or
  other data on which the previous redistricting was based.
         (g)  If the legislature is required to but does not adopt a
  plan under Subsection (f) of this section on or before the last day
  of May of the year after the year in which a plan expires under
  Subsection (e-3) of this section, then the commission shall be
  reconstituted, reconvene, and adopt a plan not later than the last
  day of June of that year by the affirmative vote of at least four
  members of the commission, including at least two members of the
  commission who belong to the majority party and at least two members
  of the commission who belong to the minority party.  A plan adopted
  under this subsection takes effect upon filing with the secretary
  of state and remains effective until the next year ending in the
  numeral one, except as provided in Subsection (p) of this section.  
  A plan adopted under this subsection must be drawn using the federal
  decennial census data or other data on which the previous
  redistricting was based.
         (h)  If the commission is required to but does  not adopt a
  plan under Subsection (g) of this section on or before the last day
  of June of the year after the year in which a plan expires under
  Subsection (e-3) of this section, then the legislature shall adopt
  a plan in the form of a bill not later than the last day of July of
  that year.  A plan adopted under this subsection must be drawn using
  the federal decennial census data or other data on which the
  previous redistricting was based.
         (h-1)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (h)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of
  the members of each house of the legislature, including the
  affirmative vote of at least one-third of the members of the
  majority party and at least one-third of the members of the minority
  party in each house, and the plan becomes law, the plan remains
  effective until the next year ending in the numeral one, except as
  provided in Subsection (p) of this section.
         (h-2)  If the legislature adopts a plan under Subsection (h)
  of this section by the affirmative vote of at least one-half of the
  members of each house of the legislature, but not by the vote
  required by Subsection (h-1) of this section, then the following
  requirements apply to the plan:
               (1)  the legislature may not adopt a plan that unduly
  favors or disfavors a political party or its incumbents;
               (2)  the legislature may not unduly split political
  subdivisions, giving preference to keeping counties whole, then to
  keeping municipalities whole;
               (3)  the legislature shall attempt to draw districts
  that are compact, but Subsection (m)(2) of this section does not
  apply; and
               (4)  the legislature must include in the plan an
  explanation of the plan's compliance with Subdivisions (1), (2),
  and (3) of this subsection.
         (h-3)  A plan adopted in the manner provided by Subsection
  (h-2) of this section that becomes law remains effective until the
  next year ending in the numeral one, except as provided in
  Subsection (p) of this section.
         (i)  Before the legislature adopts a plan under this section,
  a joint committee of the legislature shall hold at least two public
  committee hearings concerning a proposed plan.  Before the
  commission adopts a plan under this section, the commission shall
  hold at least two public hearings concerning a proposed plan. The
  legislature and the commission shall facilitate and allow for the
  submission of proposed plans by members of the public in the manner
  provided by general law.
         (j)  For purposes of filing a plan with the governor or the
  secretary of state, a plan must include both a legal description of
  the boundaries of the congressional districts and all electronic
  data necessary to create a congressional district map for the
  purpose of holding congressional elections.
         (k)  When a plan ceases to be effective under this section,
  the district boundaries described in the plan continue in operation
  for the purpose of holding elections until a new plan takes effect
  in accordance with this section.  If a vacancy occurs in a district
  that was created under the previous plan, the election to fill the
  vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be held using
  the previous plan.
         (l)  Each congressional district is entitled to a single
  representative in the United States House of Representatives in
  each Congress.  The total population of the state, as determined by
  the federal decennial census or, if the federal decennial census is
  unavailable, another basis as directed by the legislature, shall be
  divided by the number of congressional districts apportioned to the
  state under Section 2, Article I, United States Constitution, and
  the quotient shall be the congressional ratio of representation for
  the next 10 years.  Notwithstanding the fact that boundaries of
  counties or municipalities within a district may be changed,
  district boundaries shall be created by using the data from the most
  recent federal decennial census or from the basis directed by the
  legislature, as applicable.
         (m)  A plan must comply with all of the following
  requirements:
               (1)  the plan must comply with all applicable
  provisions of the constitutions of this state and the United States
  and of federal law, including federal laws protecting racial
  minority voting rights;
               (2)  each congressional district must be compact;
               (3)  each congressional district must be composed of
  contiguous territory, and the boundary of each district must be a
  single nonintersecting continuous line;
               (4)  except as otherwise required by federal law, in a
  county that contains a population that exceeds the congressional
  ratio of representation, the authority drawing the districts shall
  take the first of the following actions that applies to that county:
                     (A)  if a municipality located in the county
  contains a population that exceeds the congressional ratio of
  representation, the authority shall attempt to include a
  significant portion of that municipality in a single district and
  may include in that district other municipalities that are located
  in that county and whose residents have similar interests as the
  residents of the municipality that contains a population that
  exceeds the congressional ratio of representation;
                     (B)  if one municipality in that county contains a
  population of not less than 100,000 and not more than the
  congressional ratio of representation, that municipality may not be
  split; or
                     (C)  if that county contains two or more
  municipalities described by Paragraph (B) of this subdivision, only
  the most populous of those municipalities may not be split;
               (5)  if a congressional district includes only part of
  the territory of a particular county, the part of that
  congressional district that lies in that particular county must be
  contiguous within the boundaries of the county;
               (6)  no two congressional districts may share portions
  of the territory of more than one county, except for a county whose
  population exceeds the congressional ratio of representation or as
  necessary to comply with federal law; and
               (7)  the authority drawing the districts must attempt
  to include at least one whole county in each congressional
  district, but this subdivision does not apply to a congressional
  district that is contained entirely within one county or that
  cannot be drawn in that manner while complying with federal law.
         (n)  In determining whether the population of a municipality
  exceeds the congressional ratio of representation for the purpose
  of Subsection (m)(4)(A) of this section, if the territory of that
  municipality completely surrounds the territory of another
  municipality, the territory of the surrounded municipality is
  considered part of the territory of the surrounding municipality.
         (o)  For purposes of this section, a county or municipality
  is considered to be split if, based on the census data used for the
  purpose of redistricting, any contiguous portion of its territory
  is not contained entirely within one district except that if a
  municipality has territory in more than one county, the contiguous
  portion of that municipality that lies in each county shall be
  considered to be a separate municipality for purposes of this
  section.
         (p)  In the event that any subsection of this section
  relating to congressional redistricting, any plan, or any
  congressional district or group of congressional districts is
  challenged and is determined to be invalid by a final order of a
  court of competent jurisdiction not subject to appeal, then
  notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the
  legislature shall adopt a plan in accordance with the valid
  provisions of this section, to be used until the next time for
  redistricting under this section.
         The legislature shall adopt a plan under this subsection not
  later than the 30th day after the last day on which an appeal of the
  court order could have been filed or, if the order is not
  appealable, the 30th day after the day on which the order is issued.
         If the legislature does not adopt a new plan in accordance
  with this subsection, then not later than the 30th day after the
  deadline for the legislature to adopt the plan, the commission
  shall be reconstituted and reconvene and shall adopt a plan in
  accordance with the valid provisions of this section, to be used
  until the next time for redistricting under this section.
         A plan adopted under this subsection must remedy any legal
  defects in the previous plan identified by the court but may not
  include changes to the previous plan other than those made in order
  to remedy those defects.
         (q)  Unless otherwise already convened, the legislature
  shall convene in special session on the first Tuesday that occurs
  during a period in which the legislature is required to adopt a plan
  under this section.
         SECTION 3.   Section 7a, Article V, Texas Constitution, is
  amended by amending Subsections (e) and (i) and adding Subsection
  (j) to read as follows:
         (e)  Unless the legislature enacts a statewide
  reapportionment of the judicial districts following each federal
  decennial census, the board shall convene not later than the first
  Monday of June of the third year following the year in which the
  federal decennial census is taken to make a statewide
  reapportionment of the districts. The board shall complete its
  work on the reapportionment and file its order with the secretary of
  state not later than August 31 of the same year. If the Judicial
  Districts Board fails to make a statewide apportionment by that
  date, the Texas [Legislative] Redistricting Commission [Board]
  established by Article III, Section 28, of this constitution shall
  convene on September 1 of the same year to make a statewide
  reapportionment of the judicial districts not later than the 90th
  [150th] day after the final day for the Judicial Districts Board to
  make the reapportionment.
         (i)  The legislature, the Judicial Districts Board, or the
  Texas [Legislative] Redistricting Commission [Board] may not
  redistrict the judicial districts to provide for any judicial
  district smaller in size than an entire county except as provided by
  this section. Judicial districts smaller in size than the entire
  county may be created subsequent to a general election where a
  majority of the persons voting on the proposition adopt the
  proposition "to allow the division of ____________ County into
  judicial districts composed of parts of ____________ County." No
  redistricting plan may be proposed or adopted by the legislature,
  the Judicial Districts Board, or the Texas [Legislative]
  Redistricting Commission [Board] in anticipation of a future action
  by the voters of any county.
         (j)  Until January 1, 2021, a reference in this section to
  the Texas Redistricting Commission means the Legislative
  Redistricting Board established under Section 28, Article III, of
  this constitution. This subsection expires January 1, 2021.
         SECTION 4.   This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  following proposition: "The constitutional amendment establishing
  the Texas Redistricting Commission and providing redistricting
  procedures for state legislative, state judicial, and
  congressional districts."
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