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August 3, 2001

TFB urges new redistricting process

Calling the final actions of the Legislative Redistricting Board "overly partisan and an attack on rural representation," the Texas Farm Bureau has offered support for a new process to draw political boundaries for Texas in the future.

The state's largest agricultural group believes the creation of a new Citizen's Redistricting Commission is needed in Texas to "diffuse the partisan nature of drawing new political boundaries."

State Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio), chairman of the Senate Committee on Redistricting, offered a plan for citizen involvement in the recent session of the Legislature.

Plans adopted by the Legislative Redistricting Board on a 3-2 vote for the Texas House and Texas Senate were clearly aimed at maximizing Republican control of both chambers at the expense of rural legislators, according to the organization.

Only House Speaker Pete Laney and Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff stood up for rural Texas," said Donald Patman, president of the Texas Farm Bureau. "Rural Texas was sacrificed because of partisan politics."

The grain, cotton and cattle producer from Waxahachie said the idea of citizen involvement in redistricting is working in a dozen other states.

"The actions of a majority of the members of the Legislative Redistricting Board have convinced us the best interests of the state can no longer be served by our current process," Patman said. "Texas must do better."

Texas Farm Bureau's statewide voting delegates, representing the membership of the organization, have approved policy supporting a citizen's commission for purposes of redistricting. The House plan adopted by the LRB pairs 37 incumbents, including 18 rural representatives, several of which are in positions of House leadership.

Nine of these rural legislators will not return to serve their constituents as a result of the approved House plan. In the approved Senate plan, two Democratic Senators with large rural interests are redrawn into heavily Republican districts.