The House Redistricting Committee has begun taking testimony on what the state's new House district map should look like. Based on 2010 Census data it looks like rural West Texas is going to lose representation. While the population growth in South and Central Texas counties means those areas will gain a few seats. The committee is taking public testimony on what the new House map should look like, and there are already dozens of proposed maps floating around the Capitol.The committee chair, Rep. Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton), has already released a proposed State Board of Education map. House maps are expected in coming days.
Here's a Q&A Jennifer Stayton and I did on what kind of changes we could see here in Central Texas:
http://kut.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/WEB-QA-Stayton-Philpott-on-Redistricting-Hearing.mp3
And here's a state-wide perspective with Matt Largey and the Texas Tribune's Ross Ramsey:
http://kut.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Largey-Ramsey-QA.mp3
The House should vote on a new map after it finishes with the state budget debate. That begins next Friday, April 1.
