Redistricting reform legislation passes key hurdle

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Wolk-coauthored bill creates Independent Redistricting Commission.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation coauthored by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to create an independent redistricting commission passed the Senate Committee on Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments today on a 3-1 vote.

It is high time we put an end to the crazy gerrymandering that exists in our current redistricting process for legislative seats,” said Wolk. “Nineteen other states in the United States have created a redistricting commission. It’s time we take redistricting out of the hands of the Legislature, and give it to an independent body.”

Senate Constitutional Amendment 3 by Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) addresses growing concerns about the current redistricting process, which gives sole responsibility for dividing the state to the Legislature, by creating a five-member independent redistricting commission to establish and adopt plans for Senate, Assembly, Congress and Board of Equalization districts. The commission proposed by SCA 3 is modeled after the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, created by voter initiative in 2000.

SCA 3 sets criteria for how district lines would be drawn, which include standards laid down by the U.S. Constitution and federal voting rights act of 1965, in addition to considerations including reasonable division of cities and counties. The bill would also create a panel of 10 retired Appellate Court judges, who would be responsible for selecting a pool of 25 candidates from which the commission would be appointed to the board by legislative leaders.

This is a bipartisan solution supported by California Common Cause and the League of Women Voters,” said Wolk. “This began two years ago with ACA 19, Legislation our Bipartisan Group sponsored in the Assembly. I’m pleased to see we are finally making progress.”

SCA 3 will next be heard in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.