AT THE CAPITOL
COMPILED BY DANICA LLOYD & ANNA LOTZ
WHAT IS REDISTRICTING?
Legislators representing Cy-Fair residents have authored several bills to be considered in the 87th Texas Legislature.
After every decennial census, states and local jurisdictions go through a process known as redistricting: redrawing the boundaries for representation. Redistricting is triggered by the 2020 U.S. census, which is to be reported to states by April 1, said Je Archer, executive director of the Texas Legislative Council—a nonpartisan agency lending support to the Legislature—so that legislators can vote to approve new maps for Texas House and Senate districts by the end of the legislative session. With a possible delay in census reporting due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Archer said redistricting could be pushed to the Legislative Redistricting Board if the Legislature were to receive census results during the regular session but fail to approve redistricting maps by session’s end; or into a special- called legislative session if the Legislature were to not receive the results before May 31. Redistricting also applies to local governments, including county commissioner precincts, which may be recon gured to even out populations in growing areas. REDISTRICTING TIMELINE The Legislative Redistricting Board last convened in 2001 but may have to do so again during the 87th Legislature.
TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 126 SAMHARLESS R
House Bill 759 would amend the Texas Education Code to require threat-assessment teams in public schools to begin their assessments within 10 days of a student posing a serious risk of violence to themselves or others and complete assessments within 30 days. The bill would also create a database of student threat assessments conducted for students who pose a serious risk of violence.
TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 130 TOMOLIVERSON R
House Bill 515 would require health insurance providers to reimburse physicians and mental health professionals for telemedicine visits at least as much as they would for in- person visits. House Bill 780 would establish a bone marrow donor recruitment program to educate Texans about the need for donors and the procedures involved with donating bone marrow or other sources of blood stem cells.
TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 132 MIKE SCHOFIELD R
Scho eld has not led bills as of press time but said at a recent Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce meeting his top priorities for the session include economic recovery, ood control and following through on the public education promises laid out in House Bill 3 from the 86th Legislature.
2021
Jan. 12: 87th Legislature convenes
March 12: Bill ling deadline
TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 135 JON ROSENTHAL D
April 1: Census data reporting deadline
House Bill 342 would require facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice be maintained between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. House Bill 799 would make carrying a rearm while intoxicated a Class C misdemeanor. House Bill 698 would prohibit employment discrimination based on reproductive decisions, including one’s marital status during a pregnancy and the use of contraception.
May 31: 87th Legislature adjourns
May 31-Aug. 29 Legislative Redistricting Board convenes if the House and Senate have received census data yet not approved redistricting plans; the board must convene within 90 days and complete work within 60 days
TEXAS SENATE DISTRICT 7 PAUL BETTENCOURT R
Dec. 13: Filing deadline for primary elections
Senate Bill 208 would prohibit o cers and employees of the state or of political subdivisions of the state from distributing o cial application forms for early voting ballots. Senate Bill 215 would create the o ce of inspector general at the Texas Education Agency. The commissioner of education would appoint a director of the o ce who would be responsible for the investigation, prevention and detection of wrongdoing, fraud, waste and abuse in the administration of public education.
15820 Telge Pines Dr. Cypress, TX
2022
March 1: First elections under new districts SOURCE: TEXAS COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
www.bigtexgaragecondos.com
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CY FAIR EDITION • FEBRUARY 2021
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