SENATE PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ADVANCES KEY REFORMS TO MAKE REDISTRICTING FAIR TO VOTERS Richmond: A Virginia Senate committee late Tuesday (Jan. 20) advanced four bills to make redistricting a fairer process to voters whenever Virginia redraws legislative or congressional district boundaries. The bills focus on establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw congressional and state legislative maps, identifying objective criteria to be used in the redistricting process, as well as placing a referendum on the November 3rd statewide ballot. A Republican and Democrat combined their bills (S.J. 284 and S.J. 224 sponsored by Chair Jill Vogel (R) and Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D), respectively) that would amend the Virginia Constitution to establish a bipartisan commission to handle the redistricting process to end the practice of partisan gerrymandering. Senators Lucas and Vogel’s Joint Resolution would amend Virginia’s Constitution to create a seven member bipartisan commission and establish sensible and fair criteria for the commission to use to draw the district lines. The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee also passed S.B. 1000, sponsored by Sen. Lynwood W. Lewis that would add to the Code of Virginia a statute to assign responsibility for creating redistricting maps to the Division of Legislative Services. S.B. 824, sponsored by Sen. John C. Miller, would place a referendum on redistricting for voters to consider on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot. The non-binding referendum would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that would establish an independent redistricting commission to create and propose redistricting plans for House of Delegates, state Senate, and congressional districts. Citizens testified before the Privileges and Elections Committee in support of the bills, which also won endorsement from a large coalition of civic groups, including OneVirginia2021: Virginians for Fair Redistricting. Michael C. Kolbe of Richmond told the panel, I believe one of the most long-lasting and impactful outcomes for this session of the General Assembly would be to adopt a method and means of implementation of non-partisan redistricting to prevent gerrymandering.” Kolbe, who works in the Virginia Biotech Park in the biotech/healthcare sector, added that Virginia is the foundation of American democracy, and we should do everything we can to develop a political structure that promotes more competitive elections and a more deliberative democracy, instead of short-term political gain.” Paul Freiling, a member of the Williamsburg City Council, told senators, The current redistricting process breeds cynicism, distrust and apathy in our citizens. A transparent and non-partisan process willrestore trust, produce a more accountable system of governance and promote a healthy democracy.” A bipartisan group of senators supported fair redistricting reform, including Republicans Vogel, Martin, Obenshain, Smith, Carrico, Reeves, Garrett, Watkins, and Democrats Howell, Deeds, Edwards, McEachin, Alexander, Miller, and Dance. OneVirginia2021: Virginians for Fair Redistricting is a group of Virginians from across the political spectrum who believe that congressional and state legislative districts belong to the citizens of the Commonwealth, and not to any legislator, political party or special interest.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:05:59 +0000