Today at the Roundhouse, Feb. 20
Housing: A bill to strengthen protections against discrimination for renters and homebuyers is expected to be heard in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.
Water: A few water measures are in the House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee, including the Reclaimed Water Act and funds for water security planning.
Football Monday: Senate Bill 339 would make the second Monday of February a new public holiday: Football Monday. The bill goes before the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee in the morning.
West Side Day: It's officially West Side Day at the Roundhouse — of Albuquerque, that is, not all of New Mexico. It's also Mora County Day at the Legislature, and the Sierra Club's Rio Grande chapter will be celebrating Land, Water and Wildlife Day at the Capitol.
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NBC News
24 minutes ago
- NBC News
'A responsible approach': Obama backs California's response to Texas redistricting
Former President Barack Obama is backing California's plan to counter mid-decade redistricting efforts by Republicans in Texas. At a fundraising event Tuesday night for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, Obama said the party needs to "respond effectively" to Republican attempts to gerrymander. 'I've had to wrestle with my preference, which would be that we don't have political gerrymandering, but what I also know is that if we don't respond effectively then this White House and Republican-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy,' Obama said at the event that included former Attorney General Eric Holder and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. His remarks came a day before Republicans in the Texas House passed a bill to redraw congressional lines that would add five more GOP seats in Congress after next year's midterm elections. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week called on state lawmakers to pass a ballot measure to redraw congressional lines in response to new redistricting plans in Republican-led states like Texas. While not prohibited, it is uncommon for states to put forward maps in between decennial census counts. Obama on Tuesday cited Newsom's plan, saying he has "tremendous respect" for the proposal which would allow redistricting that favors Democrats. 'Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House that is effectively saying: Gerrymander for partisan purposes so we can maintain the House despite our unpopular policies,' Obama said. 'So I believe that Gov. Newsom's approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. We're not going to try to completely maximize it. We're only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers,' he added. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee echoed Obama's support in a social media post Wednesday night, calling Newsom's plan "a fair and responsible response to Trump's unprecedented power grab."
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Texas House passes redistricting bill stalled by AWOL Democrats
The Texas House on Wednesday passed a highly contentious, mid-decade redistricting bill – just days after dozens of Democratic lawmakers returned to Austin, ending a two-week-long effort to block the legislation backed by President Trump. In a 88-52 party-line vote, Republican state lawmakers approved the newly drawn congressional map, which could net the GOP up to five additional seats in Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm election. In the partisan showdown over House Bill 4, Democrats fumed over the timing of the redistricting push and also claimed the legislation undermined minority representation, violated voting rights protections and lacked public input. Advertisement 3 More than 50 Democrats stalled House Bill 4 for about two weeks after they fled the state capital earlier this month. REUTERS State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D), one of several Democrats who fled to Chicago prevent the House from establishing a quorum, accused Republicans of drawing up the new map 'in the cloak of darkness' and not giving the Texas Legislative Black Caucus – which she said, 'potentially will lose two seats' – a 'role in this process.' State Rep. Todd Hunter (R), the author of the bill, shot back: 'You absolutely did … but you left 17 to 18 days.' Advertisement 'Now you're getting on the microphone saying, why didn't I involve you? Well, I wasn't going across state lines to find you. I was here,' Hunter continued. 'Don't come into this body and say we didn't include you – You left us for 18 days, and that's wrong,' he later added. In defense of the legality of the effort, Hunter argued that 'redistricting can be done at any point in time.' 'The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: improve Republican political performance,' he added, noting that he believes Supreme Court precedent is on his side. Advertisement Countering claims that minority Texas residents are being harmed by redistricting, Hunter noted that 'four of the five new seats are hispanic majority … that's a pretty strong message, and it's good.' 3 The Texas Capitol filled with protesters ahead of debate on the redistricting bill. AP 3 Democratic Texas Rep. Mihaela Plesa on Tuesday tore up the Department of Public Safety escort form that Democrats returning to the state capital were forced to sign in order to leave the chamber. Getty Images Of the more than 50 state Democratic lawmakers that fled the state capital earlier this month in opposition to House Bill 4, 20 were listed as absent for Wednesday's session, however several appeared to show up before the final vote. Advertisement The Rotunda at the Texas Capitol filled up with protesters opposed to redistricting on the morning of the final vote. The gallery also had to be warned on several occasion to not applaud Democrats debating against the measure. The Republican-controlled House shot down all 12 Democrat-proposed amendments ahead of the vote, including a bid to block the implementation of the new map until the federal government releases files related to notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats, in an attempt to stretch out the debate, also sought to add amendments delaying the new map from taking effect until 2028 and linking implementation to the establishment of an independent redistricting commission and a federal court ruling that the map does not suppress minority voters. The majority of the missing Dems returned Monday – amid threats of arrest, removal from office and after paychecks began being withheld – and were only allowed to leave the chamber after they agreed to be released into the custody of a Department of Public Safety officer, who would ensure they return for the redistricting vote. Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) refused to sign the permission slip imposed by Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows and slept in the chamber for the two nights leading up to the vote. The runaway lawmakers decided to make their return after an initial special session was adjourned Friday and after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to redraw district lines in the Golden State in a bid to cancel out the Texas GOP's new map.. The Texas House Democratic Caucus said in a statement that they would 'launch the next phase in their fight against the racist gerrymander that provoked a weeks-long standoff with Governor [Greg] Abbott and President Trump.' 'Don't delete your emails, don't delete your text messages,' state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D) – one of several Democrats promising a legal challenge to the new map – warned Republican lawmakers just before the vote.
Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
Texas House Passes New Congressional Map Favoring Republicans
The Texas House on Wednesday passed a newly drawn congressional map that would give Republicans five extra seats in the U.S. House. The bill passed the state House Wednesday evening in an 88–52 vote, following an earlier procedural vote that passed with the same tally. The votes followed several hours of debate.
