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May 4, 2001
Check out redisricting via internet...
For the first time ever, the working redistricting plans for the Texas House and Texas Senate are now available to the public via computer. You have an opportunity to see and study the redistricting maps under consideration by accessing: www.tlc.state.tx.us/tlc/research/redist/redist.htm.
The site is provided by the Texas Legislative Council. Viewers of the site can overlay counties, cities, and major highways onto the map to better orient themselves to the proposed boundaries for the 150 House districts and the 31 Senate districts.
We encourage you to take advantage of this unique opportunity, if possible. Never before has the legislative redistricting process been as open and visible to the public as it is this session.
Ten years from now, the Texas Legislature may undertake redistricting in an entirely different way. Sen. Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio has proposed a constitutional amendment that dictates that the Legislature enact laws to redistrict the state's senate, representative, and congressional districts during a special session of the Legislature. The special session called by the Governor would convene not later than the 10th day after the last day of the regular session.
Senator Wentworth's proposal, SJR 35, adds that legislation on other subjects would not be eligible for consideration unless designated by the Governor. The special session would not exceed 45 days in duration. If the Legislature fails to successfully redraw the boundaries for the state's senate and representative districts during this time, redistricting would be done by the Legislative Redistricting Board of Texas, as currently prescribed by Texas law.
As of this writing, SJR has been passed by the Senate on a 30-0 vote. The constitutional amendment now heads to the House Committee on Redistricting for consideration. TFB does not have a policy position regarding the use of a special session to complete redistricting.
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You may be hearing about a bill by Rep. Jim McReynolds of San Augustine that creates the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
For several sessions, legislators have struggled to find a funding mechanism to help the nearly 2000 volunteer fire departments in the state.
Representative McReynolds' proposal, HB 2604, provides $15 million a year to the Assistance Program by creating a premium surcharge on all Texas policies of homeowner's insurance, fire insurance, farm and ranch owner's insurance, private passenger and commercial automobile physical damage insurance, and the non-liability portion of a commercial multi-peril policy.
The average cost to an insured under HB 2604 is estimated to be $12-15 per year. The assessment is recovered by the insurance company by reflecting the assessment as an expense in a rate filing with the Texas Insurance Commission or by charging the insurer's policyholders. In such a case, a notice is provided to each policyholder detailing the amount of the assessment being recovered. The funding stream for the Assistance Program dissolves in 10 years.
The money collected from the policy assessments is forwarded to the Texas Forest Service for distribution to volunteer departments based on a grant application process. The State Firemen's and Fire Marshall's Association testified there are 1,900 fire fighters in Texas, 80 percent of which are volunteers. Volunteer fire departments protect 80 percent of the property in the state, saving Texas taxpayers $800 million a year.
At this time, HB 2604 has passed the Texas House and has been referred to the Texas Senate for consideration. TFB has no specific policy position regarding the proposal.
