Senate Redistricting Meets On Thursday
Just a reminder that there's a Senate Redistricting Committee hearing happening THIS Thursday, Sept 30th: View hearing notice here.
The committee will hear testimony on SB 6 - the congressional map proposal.
See the bill and posted map here.
Over and over Texans have asked for sufficient time to review and assess these map proposals so that we can all fully understand the impact to our communities yet here we are again with just a few days between the release of a map and its hearing.
The grim reality is that this map proposal is yet another example of
chopped up major cities that further dilute the voting power of the communities there, potentially impacting opportunities for representation reflective of the population,
reducing the number of Hispanic majority districts, wiping away Black majority districts entirely and further fracturing AAPI communities,
communities with vastly different needs and challenges pulled into districts together in a way that doesn’t benefit Texans.
Texans also came out frequently before lawmakers to request a virtual testimony option (along with in-person) but so far that has not been made possible by members of the legislature this special session.
Add in the extremely limited number of hearings on these proposals (SB 6 has just this one posted) and you get a situation that does not lend itself to opportunity for community input.
Exactly what so many Texans hoped to prevent from happening.
These maps shape our state for the next decade and Texans deserve to be a part of the process every step of the way.
What We Can Do
Show up to testify (and note in-person testimony procedure detailed here will still apply). If you’d like testimony prep guidance, please message and we will connect you with helpful resources.
Submit public comments via the committee’s public comment portal HERE.
Record a 60-90 sec video talking about why you want a fair and open redistricting process via the #ShowUsTheMaps campaign HERE!
We have such limited time to make ourselves heard in this district drawing process and our state legislature certainly does not make it easy.
Thank you for finding ways to speak up and take action!