Congressional Redistricting Dead This Session

Senate Redistricting Chairman Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo (photo from www.senate.state.tx.us)

Political geography junkies will have to wait a little longer to see how Texas gets divvied up in Congressional redistricting. The chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, just confirmed to LegeLand that it won't happen this session.

"It's too late to get a map through the process," Seliger said. "The federal courts will decide [how to draw the lines]. Or if a special session is called on any subject, we will ask to have it added to the agenda."

Unlike redistricting of the House or Senate, which go to the Legislative Redistricting Board if maps aren't passed by the Lege, state law says failure to pass a congressional map must be settled in special session or in state or federal court.

Other media sources have reported that Gov. Rick Perry is unlikely to call a special specifically for redistricting, but specials on other issues look likely.

We'll update this post with reactions from the Austin congressional delegation as we get it.

Meanwhile, an impatient Congressman Joe Barton, R-Arlington, has filed a lawsuit over state's inaction and demands a state court settle the matter.