Congressional and state legislative districts; standards and criteria. (HB1598)
Introduced By
Del. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk) with support from co-patron Del. Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✗ |
Signed by Governor |
✗ |
Became Law |
Description
Standards and criteria for congressional and state legislative districts. Provides criteria by which congressional and state legislative districts are to be drawn, including equal population, racial and ethnic fairness, respect for existing political boundaries, contiguity, compactness, and communities of interest. The criteria set out would apply to those districts drawn following the 2020 United States Census and thereafter. This bill is identical to SB 106. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/19/2018 | Committee |
01/19/2018 | Presented and ordered printed 18105613D |
01/19/2018 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
01/23/2018 | Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #1 |
02/05/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1598) |
02/06/2018 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment (6-Y 0-N) |
02/09/2018 | Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment (21-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
02/10/2018 | Read first time |
02/12/2018 | Read second time |
02/12/2018 | Committee amendment agreed to |
02/12/2018 | Amendment by Delegate Toscano rejected (49-Y 50-N) |
02/12/2018 | VOTE: REJECTED (49-Y 50-N) (see vote tally) |
02/12/2018 | Engrossed by House as amended HB1598E |
02/12/2018 | Printed as engrossed 18105613D-E |
02/13/2018 | Read third time and passed House (97-Y 1-N) |
02/13/2018 | VOTE: PASSAGE (97-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
02/14/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1598E) |
02/14/2018 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
02/14/2018 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
02/20/2018 | Reported from Privileges and Elections (10-Y 4-N) (see vote tally) |
02/22/2018 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/23/2018 | Passed by for the day |
02/26/2018 | Read third time |
02/26/2018 | Passed Senate (23-Y 17-N) (see vote tally) |
02/28/2018 | Enrolled |
02/28/2018 | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1598ER) |
02/28/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1598ER) |
02/28/2018 | Signed by Speaker |
03/03/2018 | Signed by President |
03/06/2018 | Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 6, 2018 |
03/06/2018 | G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, April 9, 2018 |
04/09/2018 | Governor's recommendation received by House |
04/18/2018 | House rejected Governor's recommendation (48-Y 51-N) |
04/18/2018 | VOTE: REJECTED (48-Y 51-N) |
04/18/2018 | Communicated to Governor |
04/18/2018 | G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, May 18, 2018 |
05/18/2018 | G Vetoed by Governor |
Comments
This bill establishes minimum criteria for fair redistricting. Please send this to the House floor for a vote.
Federal law requires that districts have equal population and conform to Voting Rights Act protection. In addition, the Virginia constitution requires that districts be compact and contiguous, but it does not define those standards. Identical bills HB1598 and SB106 would define or establish good state criteria for drawing congressional and General Assembly districts, beyond the federal mandates. But they could be even better! I urge Gov Northam to send these bills back to the General Assembly with an amendment to add language to prohibit political gerrymandering, e.g. "No district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or potential candidate."