Redistricting; GIS maps required, review by the Department of Elections. (HB1216)

Introduced By

Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria) with support from co-patrons Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria), and Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Redistricting; Geographic Information System maps required; review by the Department of Elections. Requires the clerk of the county, city, or town to send a Geographic Information System (GIS) map, along with the ordinance containing a description of the boundaries, to the local electoral board, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Department of Elections, and the Division of Legislative Services when redistricting local election districts or making any changes to the local election districts or precincts. The bill requires the Department to review any ordinance and GIS map received and compare the boundaries contained within with the information in the voter registration system to ensure voters have been assigned to the correct districts and to direct any corrections to be made if necessary. The Department is further required to maintain and make available on its official website maps showing the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2018Committee
01/10/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101744D
01/10/2018Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/19/2018Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (HB1216)
01/22/2018Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #2
01/25/2018Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (6-Y 0-N)
01/25/2018Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
01/25/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB1216)
01/26/2018Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2018Referred to Committee on Appropriations
01/29/2018Assigned App. sub: General Government & Capital Outlay
02/07/2018Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (8-Y 0-N)
02/13/2018Left in Appropriations

Comments

Sue M writes:

This sounds like a commonsense solution, using the best available technology, to solve a surprisingly large problem, as the WaPo recently reported. When precincts or districts are redrawn, HB1216 would require that GIS (Geographic Information System) maps be used to ensure that voters are placed in the correct precinct and district. The state Department of Elections would create such a map for any locality without its own GIS capability. This bill has gained several Democratic co-patrons since it was introduced and appears to have bipartisan support, as it has advanced from House Privileges & Elections Subcommittee #2 with a recommendation that it be reported to the full House.