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RESOLUTION NO.2023-02 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS, ADOPTING CRITERIA FOR USE IN THE REDISTRICTING OF LA PORTE CITY COUNCIL SINGLE - MEMBER DISTRICTS, AND ADOPTING GUIDELINES TO BE FOLLOWED FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLANS; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, this City Council has certain responsibilities for redistricting under federal and state law including but not limited to Amendments 14 and 15 to the United States Constitution; Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, 52 U.S.C.A. §10301; City Charter Article II, Sec. 2.01(b); and Tex. Gov't Code Ann. §§ 2058.001 and 2058.002; and WHEREAS, a review of the 2020 census data reveals that a population imbalance exists among the City's single -member council districts, requiring redistricting of those districts; and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the City to comply with the Voting Rights Act and with all other relevant law, including Shane v. Reno jurisprudence; and WHEREAS, a set of established redistricting criteria will serve as a framework to guide the City in the formulation and consideration of districting plans; and WHEREAS, redistricting criteria will provide the City a means by which to evaluate proposed plans; and WHEREAS, redistricting criteria will assist the City in its efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state laws; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to provide for the orderly consideration and evaluation of redistricting plans which may come before the Council; and WHEREAS, these guidelines for entities submitting specific redistricting plans help to provide an orderly evaluation process; and WHEREAS, the Council also welcomes any comments relevant to the redistricting process. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA TORTE, TEXAS, THAT: Section 1. The City Council, in its adoption of a redistricting plan for single -member council districts, will adhere to the following criteria to the greatest practical extent when establishing new single -member council district boundaries: 1. Easily identifiable geographic boundaries should be followed. 2. Communities of interest should be maintained in a single district, where