SJ5: Constitutional amendment; establishing Redistricting Commission (first reference).

Chief Patron

Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-25)

Creigh Deeds (D-25)
Served: 2001–

Progress

	Introduced
	Passed Committee
	Passed House
	Passed Senate

Status

01/22/2008: Failed to Pass in Committee

View Entire History

Summary

Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Virginia Redistricting Commission.  Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. Appointments to the 13-member Commission are to be made in the census year as follows: two each by the President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Delegates, minority leader in each house, and the state chairman of each of the two political parties receiving the most votes in the prior gubernatorial election. The 12 partisan members then select the 13th member by a majority vote, or, if they cannot agree on a selection, they certify the two names receiving the most votes to the Supreme Court, which will name the 13th member. The Commission is directed to certify district plans for the General Assembly within one month of receipt of the new census data or by March 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later, and for the House of Representatives within three months of receipt of the census data or by June 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later. The standards to govern redistricting plans include the current Constitution's standards on population equality, compactness, and contiguity and additional standards to minimize splits of localities and to prohibit consideration of incumbency and political data.