Following a press conference by the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus, Senator Nathan Johnson has filed Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1), which aims to prohibit mid-decennial redistricting in Texas. Johnson said, “I filed Senate Joint Resolution 1, which bans mid-decennial redistricting. Every member of the Senate Democratic Caucus signed as joint authors. Were it already law, it would have saved everyone from this embarrassment.”
Johnson criticized what he described as a Republican response to demands from former President Trump, saying, “What we’re facing is a Republican capitulation to President Trump’s illegitimate demand to shield himself and his obedient Congressional delegation from the electoral consequences of their unpopular actions: explosion of the federal debt and reckless destruction of vital government functions and services. This is highly undemocratic.”
During his remarks on the Senate floor, Johnson urged his colleagues to reject these demands imposed by Governor Abbott through a special session call. He expressed disappointment in how the chamber has been used, stating, “What shocks me most is how this chamber has allowed itself to become such a pathetic tool. The legislature isn’t here to serve political demands from Washington, D.C. … I’m surprised that we don’t have more pride in the Senate as an institution… [T]his stuff … is appalling. It’s embarrassing. And I really think everybody in this chamber ought to simply say, no, we’re not a tool; we are our own legislative body.”
If passed, SJR 1 would limit redistricting to once per decade following the U.S. Census unless mandated otherwise by a court and would require voter approval through a constitutional amendment.
Senator Nathan Johnson was re-elected in 2024 for a third term representing nearly one million residents in Dallas County’s Senate District 16. He serves on several key committees including Business and Commerce, Jurisprudence (Vice-Chair), Economic Development, Transportation, and Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs.