On August 12, the Census Bureau held a press conference where they announced they have released the PL 94-171 (the Redistricting Summary File) for states to use in their redistricting processes. The Census Bureau said five of the 14 U.S. cities that grew by at least 100,000 people are located in Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Four of the nation’s 10 fastest growing cities also were Texas suburbs: Frisco, McKinney, Conroe, and New Braunfels.
In light of this, Rep. Todd Hunter Chair of the House Redistricting Committee sent out a letter to members. He stated the redistricting file from the Census Bureau is currently being uploaded to the state’s redistricting software, RedAppl, and will be ready for use by September 1st.
Rep. Hunter noted that after the data is made available on RedAppl, the committee will hold additional hearings to get public input from across the state. These hearings will be held at the Capitol with the opportunity for virtual participation. More information about these hearings is forthcoming.