AUSTIN, Texas — As the third special session winds down, two major pieces of legislation changing how Texans vote are heading to the governor's desk.
On Friday, both the Texas House and Senate approved their versions of the other chamber's redistricting bills.
According to a report from The Texas Tribune, Friday's votes were largely procedural as neither chamber made any changes to the opposite's bill. The house approved the Senate's map by a vote of 81-60 and the Senate approved the House's by a vote of 18-13.
According to the report, the new Senate map draws safer seats for a list of Republican incumbents who were facing competitive races in their diversifying districts. And the House map strengthens the Republican majority in its 150 districts.
Also on Friday, the House approved the new map for the GOP-led State Board of Education. The House is still expected to vote on a redraw of the state's congressional map, which should come on Saturday.
The maps have been largely criticized by Democrats and civil rights groups who claim that Republicans did not work to adequately reflect the major role people of color have played in the state's recent population increase. Data suggest that of the nearly 4 million people who have recently been added to the population account, 95% were people of color.
To read the Tribune's full report, click here.
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