For legislators, end to remap in sight
House, Senate leaders cautiously optimistic of final approval today
10:28 PM CDT on Saturday, October 11, 2003
AUSTIN – The House and Senate are to meet Sunday in what could be the eagerly awaited redistricting finale in the Legislature.
After many played hooky to witness a disappointing defeat for the University of Texas in Saturday's Texas-OU game, House members planned to get back to work Sunday afternoon.
There is optimism, if not pure confidence, that the House will have a quorum to meet and give final approval to a government reorganization bill, said Bob Richter, spokesman for House Speaker Tom Craddick.
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"The fear is if the Senate monkeys around and doesn't pass this thing, you take a chance on a filibuster or a Senate walkout," Mr. Richter said. "You have to expect the unexpected at this point."
The special session ends Tuesday.
All who have watched months of redistricting wars between Democrats and Republicans, and more recently Republicans fighting among themselves, are confident that the end is at hand, yet braced for disappointment as deep as that felt after UT lost to Oklahoma in Dallas.
After all, the lengthy redistricting fracas has already led to a walkout by House Democrats during the regular session in June, a walkout by Senate Democrats during a second special session last month and the third special session, which has been marked by an overpowering of the Democrats' position and infighting among Republicans over how to proceed with their agenda.
Democrats hold a 17-15 edge in the state's congressional delegation and want to keep existing district lines, which were drawn by a federal court in 2001. Republicans, citing the state's increasingly conservative voting trends, say they should have the majority in the delegation.
Stamp of approval
A House-Senate redistricting compromise plan was reached by Republicans last week after the personal intervention of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land. The plan would likely make it difficult or even impossible for up to seven white, veteran Democrats to win re-election.
The House gave its final approval to the compromise plan Friday, but the Senate has yet to vote on the plan.
Democrats contend that the plan will hurt minorities and rural Texans.
They intend to mount a court challenge if the plan is approved by the Senate and then signed into law by the governor.
"We never gave up and we never will," Rep. Garnet Coleman of Houston, one of the most vocal of the Democrats, said Saturday.
But first the Senate has to pass the compromise plan. If all goes well, that will be Sunday evening. But some GOP senators have said they are unwilling to vote for the long-sought plan unless the House first approves the government reorganization bill.
One last obstacle
The government reorganization bill has been at the center of a nasty Republican feud between GOP Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn and GOP leaders including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. The fellow party members have fought all year over state spending.
Senators made sure that the government reorganization bill strips some high-profile duties from the comptroller, including the e-Texas money-saving proposals program and school performance reviews.
Mrs. Strayhorn says she is being targeted for "political payback."
Many lawmakers left Friday for Texas-OU weekend events – including fund-raisers and the game – leaving the House without a quorum to act on the reorganization bill.
House Democrats this weekend didn't care to stick around for the Republican showdown between the House and Senate, said Mr. Coleman.
"They've been playing games," said Mr. Coleman. "It's clear that this has been an utter waste of time."
Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, headed the effort to force the House to vote on government reorganization before the Senate voted on redistricting. He said he expects the House will approve the reorganization bill and the Senate will pass the new map.
"We are just waiting on the House to do what they promised," Mr. Ogden said.
Mr. Dewhurst remained optimistic on Friday.
"The House has assured us they are going to pass all this legislation, so we are waiting for them to pass it. As one former president whom I'm a fan of once said, 'Trust but verify,' " he said, referring to Ronald Reagan.
Mr. Dewhurst said senators can only vote on redistricting Sunday and played down the threat of a Democratic filibuster because he said he has closed debate.
And Rep. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, acknowledged that as Republicans trickle back into town for Sunday's House session, it's unlikely Democrats can maintain a boycott and block a quorum. That means the reorganization bill could be passed by the House, and the redistricting bill could be passed by the Senate, at least by the end of the session Tuesday.
Even so, unlike Saturday's Red River massacre at the Cotton Bowl, lawmakers say redistricting could be anybody's game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/101203dntexredist.5f95f.html
