The chair of the Texas redistricting committee, Republican state Rep. Cody Vasut, said during a Thursday hearing that "it is prudent and proper" for the committee to deal with items the governor put on the agenda, and that "we have no plans to change any particular district."

At the first of at least seven hearings, members of the public aired grievances about the unusual mid-decade redistricting effort.

Texas Democrats are visiting California and Illinois today to meet with Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom and J.B. Pritzker. The lawmakers are looking for support against a Republican-led redistricting effort in their state.

The legislature is meeting in special session to draft plans that could give the party five more seats in Congress.

Texas Democrats are considering their options to block a Republican-led effort to redraw the state's congressional maps during a special session that began Monday