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Political Report

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The Legislative Report

By SHEILAH PEPPER

The Gazette Staff

A new redistricting map recently was approved by the Texas House after a 16-hour debate and it now moves to the Senate. In terms of this District, Rep. Bryan Hughes will keep Wood County, northern Smith County including Lindale and Hideaway, Rains County, and add Morris and Titus counties. He will lose Upshur and Harrison counties. Northeast Texas as a whole will lose one House district. The largest city in Hughes revised district will be Mt. Vernon.

The process of Congressional redistricting began this week.

A bill before the Texas Legislature would require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to take a number of measures. These include the hiring of a chief financial officer; the creation of an inspector general within the agency to offer independent scrutiny; and the posting of detailed information on its web site regarding proposed and ongoing projects.

Additionally, the agency would have to fire any employees found to have lobbied legislators, create a 20-year transportation plan and comply with strict formulas to distribute funding equitably around the state.

The legislation would also require TxDOT to undergo another sunset review in four years instead of the typical 120year cycle.

A Senate subcommittee recently voted to deny state funding to Planned Parenthood. Some believe Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider. The organization claims that its clinics provide birth control counseling, breast and cervical cancer screening and other services to low income women. The bill is authored by Sen. Bob Duell R-Greenville.

Another bill that is gaining momentum in the Legislature is one that would make it illegal for a security officer to touch someone's private areas – even stop clothing – unless they have probably cause to believe that the subject is carrying something illegal.