Texas Secretary of State, Business and Public Filings Division, Statutory Documents Section:
An Inventory of Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section Redistricting Plans at the Texas State Archives, 1981-1982, 1991-1993
Overview | ||
| Creator: | Texas. Secretary of State. Statutory Documents Section. | |
| Title: | Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section redistricting plans | |
| Dates: | 1981-1982, 1991-1993 | |
| Abstract: | These files concern actions taken by the Texas Legislative Redistricting Board and the Texas Judicial Districts Board, and filed with the Texas Secretary of State, for the reapportionment of the various state election districts (State Senate, State House of Representatives, State Board of Education, and district courts) when the legislature failed to redistrict. These records include plans, statistical reports, orders, and maps, dating 1981-1982 and 1991-1993. They consist of six files created by the Texas Legislative Redistricting Board, three in 1981-1982, and another three in 1991-1992; and one file created by the Texas Judicial Districts Board in 1993. | |
| Quantity: | 0.71 cubic ft. | |
| Language: | These materials are written in English. | |
Agency History
The Texas Constitution requires the legislature to redistrict seats in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate during its first regular session after publication of each United States decennial census. State law also provides for reapportionment of judicial districts and State Board of Education boundaries.
The Texas Legislative Redistricting Board was created in 1950 through a constitutional amendment (Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 28) after the legislature had failed to reapportion for a number of years. If the legislature fails to redistrict in its first regular session following the release of the census, then the Legislative Redistricting Board must meet and file redistricting plans with the Texas Secretary of State and submit them to the U.S. Justice Department.
The Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) consists of five ex-officio members: the lieutenant governor, speaker of the House, attorney general, comptroller of public accounts, and commissioner of the General Land Office. These are non-salaried positions and members elect the chair. The Texas Legislative Council makes data available to the board when it is necessary for it to act and prepares legal drafts for all proposals considered by the board. The legislature provides funds for clerical and technical assistance.
The Texas Judicial Districts Board was created in 1985 through a constitutional amendment (Texas Constitution, Article V, Section 7a (e)). If the legislature fails to redistrict within three years following the release of the federal census, then the Judicial Districts Board must meet and submit a reapportionment order to the Texas Secretary of State. The order must be approved by a majority of each house of the Texas Legislature before the order becomes effective and binding. If the Judicial Districts Board does not do so, the task falls to the Legislative Redistricting Board.
The Judicial Districts Board consists of thirteen members: the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (who is the chair), the presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the presiding judges of each of the nine administrative judicial districts, the president of the Texas Judicial Council, and one person who is licensed to practice law in this state, appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of four years.
Scope and Contents of the Records
These files concern actions taken by the Texas Legislative Redistricting Board and the Texas Judicial Districts Board, and filed with the Texas Secretary of State, for the reapportionment of the various state election districts (State Senate, State House of Representatives, State Board of Education, and district courts) when the legislature failed to redistrict. These records include plans, statistical reports, and maps, dating 1981-1982 and 1991-1993. They consist of six files created by the Texas Legislative Redistricting Board, three in 1981-1982, and another three in 1991-1992; and one file created by the Texas Judicial Districts Board in 1993.
The 1981-1982 plans include one plan for state senatorial districts, and another for state representative districts; the third is a correction to the Senate district plan. They are formatted as blue-backed Acts of the Texas Legislative Redistricting Board, very similar in appearance to Acts of the State Legislature.
The 1991-1992 plans include one file each, for State Board of Education districts, State Senate districts, and State House of Representative districts. They consist of maps of proposed districts (statewide and by major metropolitan counties), and district population analysis tables (showing totals and percentages of Blacks, Hispanics, Anglos, and others). Other tables (for Senate and House districts) include: plan population analysis (with totals and percentages broken down by total and voting age population for each ethnic group), plan population analysis with county subtotals, plan voter registration/turnout analysis, and district contiguity analysis.
The 1993 plan is actually the order of the Texas Judicial Districts Board reapportioning the judicial districts of the state. It consists of a list of affected judicial districts, stating which counties are added to each district, which are removed, and which counties now form that district.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
Arrangement of the Records | ||
| These records have been arranged in chronological order by State Archives staff. | ||
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
None.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Technical Requirements
None.
Index Terms | ||
| The terms listed here were used to catalog the records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records. | ||
| Corporate Names: | ||
| Texas. Legislative Redistricting Board. | ||
| Texas. Judicial Districts Board. | ||
| Texas. Legislature--Election districts. | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Election districts--Texas. | ||
| Apportionment (Election law)--Texas. | ||
| Elections--Texas--Statistics. | ||
| Population geography--Texas. | ||
| Proportional representation--Texas. | ||
| Document Types: | ||
| Plans (reports)--Texas--Election districts--1981-1982, 1991-1993. | ||
| Maps--Texas--Election districts--1991-1992. | ||
| Functions: | ||
| Planning election districts. | ||
Related Material
The following materials are offered as possible sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the records. The listing is not exhaustive. |
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| Texas State Archives | ||
| Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Redistricting Committee records, 1966-1992, 90 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislature, Senate, Committee of the Whole on Redistricting, Records, 1980-1991, bulk 1990-1991, 27.5 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislature, Senator Eddie Bernice Johnson, Senate Subcommittee on Congressional Districts, Records, 1980-1991, bulk 1990-1991, 7 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislative Council, Legislative Council inaugural planning documents and other material, 1955-2003, 0.24 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislative Council, Legislative Council redistricting records, 1991, 1995, 0.38 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislative Council, Redistricting maps and reports, 1991-1992, 0.24 cubic ft. | ||
| Texas Legislature, Representative Delwin Jones, Records, about 1980-2001, 22 cubic ft. [RESTRICTED; there is no finding aid for this unprocessed collection. Call numbers are 2003/128-1 through 22] | ||
| Texas Legislature, Senate Redistricting Committee records, about 1990, 44 cubic ft. [RESTRICTED; there is no finding aid for this unprocessed collection. Call numbers are 2003/130-1 through 44] | ||
| Texas Legislature, Senate Jurisprudence Committee redistricting records, 2001, 39 cubic ft. [RESTRICTED; there is no finding aid for this unprocessed collection. Call numbers are 2004/084-1 through 34] | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Secretary of State Statutory Documents Section redistricting plans, Business and Public Filings Division, Texas Secretary of State. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession Information
Accession numbers: 1995/010, 2003/007, 2004/008
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Statutory Documents Section of the Texas Secretary of State on September 22, 1994; September 6, 2002; and September 8, 2003.
Processing Information
Paul Beck, November 1994
Tony Black, February 2003, September 2003
Accruals
The Statutory Documents Section of the Texas Secretary of State transfers redistricting plans to the Texas State Archives ten years after the plans were created.
Detailed Description of the Records