Following VRA Ruling, Perry Signs New Texas Congressional Map Into Law
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Wednesday signed a new Congressional district for the state into law, a move that would have required federal approval prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
Perry’s action, confirmed by an aide to Roll Call, was day removed from the Supreme Court’s decision to gut Section 5 from the landmark 1965 civil rights law. Prior to the court’s ruling, Section 5 required Texas — as well as other states with a history of racial discrimination — to clear any changes to its voting laws, including redistricting, with the federal government.
More: Following VRA Ruling, Perry Signs New Texas Congressional Map Into Law