Kudos to Brownwoods State Representative (R) Jim Keffer
Friday March 11, 2005
News-Brownwood Bulletin
Bill gives redistricting to citizens commission
By Gene Deason -- Brownwood Bulletin
A bill designed to take the congressional redistricting process out of the hands of the Texas Legislature and delegate it to an independent, bipartisan citizens commission has been filed by state Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland).
Keffer's office said he filed the legislation Thursday which would create the Texas Congressional Redistricting Commission. A parallel bill was filed in the Texas Senate by Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio).
Thirteen states currently have a public citizen redistricting commission: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
House Bill 2752 is authored or co-authored by six Republicans and 14 Democratic representatives, and its Senate companion, Senate Bill 1404, is authored by two Republicans and three Democratic senators. Under its provisions, the Texas Congressional Redistricting Commission would be comprised of four Republicans, four Democrats and a nonvoting presiding officer selected by the commission members. Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats would select two commission members each, and House of Representatives Republicans and Democrats would do the same.
Members of the commission may not be a current elected public officeholder, official in a political party, or registered lobbyist, nor may the member have been in the position during the previous two years.
Sen. Wentworth previously chaired the Senate Redistricting Committee in 2001, when no agreement on congressional redistricting could be reached by lawmakers. The work resumed in 2003 through a number of special sessions, and caused deep partisan divisions within the legislature.
"Partisan congressional redistricting is a contentious, divisive process that I firmly believe would be handled better by an independent commission of Texans, made up of an even number of Republicans and Democrats," Wentworth said. "I was convinced of that during the 1991 redistricting, and after the problems that have ensued since we began the process in 2001; I remain committed to changing this fatally flawed system."
In addition to Keffer, Rep. Rick Hardcastle (R-Vernon), Patrick Rose (D-Dripping Springs), David Farabee (D-Wichita Falls) and Mark Homer (D-Paris) are joint-authors on HB 2752.
"I am pleased to be joined by many of colleagues in support of this bipartisan legislation," Keffer said. "Developing this commission will put the congressional redistricting in the control of the citizens allowing the Texas Legislature to focus its energy on the topics that are facing Texans and I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with Senator Wentworth."
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/03/11/news/news01.txt
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and the Local & National Neo-Conservative (Not Conservative) talking heads continue to try and write us Independent Voters out of the equation.
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