Seliger to chair redistricting committee

Special to the Herald
AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced appointments to the Senate
Select Committee on Redistricting Wednesday and named State Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, its chairman.

"Redistricting is too important an issue for the Senate to wait until the legislative session to begin addressing. By appointing this committee now, members will be able to travel the state before session begins in January and hear from Texans on how best to draw our political lines for the next decade,"  Dewhurst said. "Once session convenes, the Texas Senate will then be in a strong position to draw maps that will fairly represent the population of Texas."

Other members named to the committee on redistricting include: Vice Chair Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston; Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas; Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler; Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls; Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston; Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston; Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas; Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands; and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.

The committee will conduct hearings across the state to gather input from the public regarding the redrawing of legislative, congressional and State Board of Education district lines based on population data from the 2010 Census.

I am honored and humbled by the lieutenant governor's confidence in my abilities and hope I can make meaningful contributions to the redistricting process," Seliger said after learning of his appointment. "I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate as we undertake one of the critical issues facing the 82nd Legislature."

Seliger was first elected to the Texas Senate in a 2004 special election. He was most recently re-elected Nov. 4, 2008, to serve the 31st Senatorial District of Texas for a second four-year term. The district spans 26 counties from the Panhandle to the Permian Basin and includes Big Spring.