Calls it Another Disappointment to Hispanic Representation Across Texas Including DFW/North Texas
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas In a key vote taken in the House chamber during a rare Saturday session Texas State Representative Roberto R. Alonzo who is also a member of the House Redistricting Committee expressed his disappointment on the passage of SB 31 which reconfigures the composition of the districts for the election of the members of the Texas Senate. Passed on a vote of 96-47 earlier this morning in the House - mostly along party lines Senate Bill 31 had passed earlier in the week in the Senate (on Monday May 17) on a 29-2 vote in that upper chamber.
As a member of the House Redistricting Committee I am disappointed that my colleagues in the House voted down an opportunity to allow the inclusion of more Senate-opportunity districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth/North Texas area.
Not only did I find the proposed Senate districts map as reflected in SB 31 to be unfair and very unrepresentative of the growing Hispanic population in Texas I also think it signifies a big blow to the changing demographics and shifting needs of our great state stated Rep. Alonzo.
I am also disappointed that lawmakers - in the House & Senate alike - failed on a grand opportunity to act affirmatively on a key measure which would have permitted more Latino-opportunity Senatorial districts across Texas particularly one as originally proposed for the DFW/North Texas region which would have connected parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties.
More disappointing is the fact that the latest US census data affirms the fact that the Hispanic population numbers are clearly there warranting the need for such a Latino Senatorial seat for this region said Rep. Alonzo.
However as I have said previously I am certain this map will not muster the approval of the US Department of Justice so more than likely it will be up to our courts to make a decision we should have made as lawmakers. We must be vigilant and continue to fight for what citizens in this area deserve as far as
representation in the Texas Legislature is concerned - House Senate and US Congress alike. We must not give up now continued Rep. Alonzo.
As I said before when we voted on the proposed House maps I cast a nay vote today on SB 31 on the House floor just like I did in committee because of its failure to create more Hispanic opportunity districts in certain regions of the state that warranted more seats because of the growing Hispanic population.
If the US census data reflects a growing number of Hispanics in certain regions of the state especially the DFW/North Texas region I feel strongly that our redrawing of Senate lines like the House district lines should mirror those same trends said Rep. Alonzo.
At the end of the day all that matters is 1) what is fair and 2) what is legal. And since this latest Senate plan fails at both levels I am certain it will land in the courts to decide continued Rep. Alonzo.
