'Hide the evidence': New Texas law may help GOP keep secrets about its redistricting strategy
AUSTIN — Texas has passed a new law that lets lawmakers conceal their emails and other communications from public scrutiny, as they prepare to redraw the state’s voting maps.
...transparency advocates warn that the new measure will dramatically expand what legislative documents can be kept secret, allowing the men and women who write laws to hide why they make the decisions they do and who is influencing them to act. The bill was passed ahead of the 2021 redistricting process, leading some to worry it was written specifically to help state lawmakers and legislative staffers responsible for redrawing the Texas’ political maps to hide their tracks.
“This is very clearly an attempt to hide communications about redistricting from any future court review,” said Nina Perales, part of a team of lawyers who successfully challenged the state’s 2011 maps. “Normally, Texas legislators have only had two options: lie or tell the truth about their motives.
“The new bill is an attempt to create a third option, which is hide the evidence.”.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2019/06/28/hide-evidence-new-texas-law-may-help-gop-keep-secrets-redistricting-strategy?fbclid=IwAR0UzxdCPNhA42jetFEMXXsw04jal2zVQxTHGgxzsZufE3KZoa1WnMFc1t0
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