SB 975

Abstract

Redistricting; Virginia Redistricting Commission. Establishesthe Virginia Redistricting Commission (the Commission) pursuant to Article II,Sections 6 and 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia. The Commission, tasked withestablishing districts for the United States House of Representatives and forthe Senate and the House of Delegates of the General Assembly, will consist ofeight legislative commissioners and eight citizen commissioners. Thelegislative commissioners consist of four members of the Senate of Virginia andfour members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to thepolitical parties having the highest and next highest number of members intheir respective houses. The citizen commissioners are chosen by a selectioncommittee consisting of five retired judges of the circuit courts of Virginia,from lists submitted to the selection committee by the Speaker of the House ofDelegates, the leader in the House of Delegates of the political party havingthe next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, the President protempore of the Senate of Virginia, and the leader in the Senate of thepolitical party having the next highest number of members in the Senate. Thebill contains eligibility requirements for the citizen commissioners, includingrestrictions on holding or having held partisan national or state publicoffice. As part of the application process for service on the Commission, theDivision of Legislative Services acts as a repository for applications submittedby interested persons and is tasked with screening out applicants who areineligible or submit incomplete applications. The applications of the citizencandidates selected by political leadership and submitted for consideration tothe selection committee are public records.The bill also directs the Division of Legislative Services toprovide staff support to the Commission in the redistricting of congressionaland state legislative districts. The Commission is required to submit to theGeneral Assembly plans of districts within certain time periods, and the billsets out criteria by which the districts are to be drawn, including equalpopulation, contiguity, compactness, racial and ethnic fairness, respect forexisting political boundaries, and respect for existing communities ofinterest. The bill prohibits districts from being drawn for the purpose offavoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member ofCongress, or other individual or entity. Provisions to ensure publicparticipation in the redistricting process are included. If efforts to establish districts fail, the Supreme Court ofVirginia is responsible for establishing districts, and the bill directs theCourt to enact rules and procedures for doing so. The rules and proceduresenacted by the Court are required to allow public participation in the Court'sredistricting deliberations, to provide for the Division of LegislativeServices to provide staff support and technical assistance to the Court, and toensure districts established by the Court adhere to constitutional andstatutory criteria. The bill directs the Court to appoint a special master toassist in the establishment of districts and authorizes the Court to adjust thedate of the primary election and various related deadlines as may be necessaryto allow for the establishment of districts.The bill has a contingent effective date of November 15, 2020,provided that the voters approve the amendments to Article II of theConstitution of Virginia, amending Section 6 and adding Section 6-A, at theNovember 2020 general election.