09 LC 28
4525
House
Resolution 229
By:
Representatives Geisinger of the
48th,
Willard of the
49th,
Benfield of the
85th,
Oliver of the
83rd,
Day of the
163rd,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Proposing
an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide for the creation of the
Citizens' Redistricting Commission; to provide for its membership, duties, and
procedures; to provide for the submission of a redistricting plan for approval
by the General Assembly; to provide for procedures for the consideration of such
plan; to provide for related matters; to provide for the submission of this
amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
III, Section II of the Constitution is amended by revising Paragraph II as
follows:
"Paragraph
II.
Apportionment
of General Assembly.
(a)
The General Assembly shall apportion the Senate and House districts. Such
districts shall be composed of contiguous territory. The apportionment of the
Senate and of the House of Representatives shall be changed by the General
Assembly as necessary after each United States decennial census.
(b)
No later than January 31 of the year following the year in which a United States
decennial census is conducted, there shall be constituted the Citizens'
Redistricting Commission. The commission shall be composed of seven members
appointed as follows:
(1)
One member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(2)
One member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
(3)
One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives;
(4)
One member appointed by the minority leader of the House of
Representatives;
(5)
Two members appointed by the Governor, only one of whom shall be a member of the
same political party as the Governor; and
(6)
One member who shall be selected and appointed by the other six members of the
commission not later than March 1 of the year following the year in which a
United States decennial census is conducted.
The
failure by the six members of the commission to agree upon a seventh member by
March 1 of the year following the year in which a United States decennial census
is conducted shall result in the dissolution of the commission and the
redistricting of congressional and legislative districts by the General Assembly
without assistance from the commission.
(c)
A person shall be eligible for appointment to serve on the commission if such
person:
(1)
As of the date of his or her appointment, is registered to vote for federal and
state offices in Georgia and was registered to vote in the two most recent
general elections held in Georgia;
(2)
Is not a current member of the General Assembly and does not hold any federal or
state elective office while serving on the commission; and
(3)
Certifies and agrees at the time of such person's appointment that such person
will not run as a candidate for any federal or state elective office while
serving on the commission and for a period of two years thereafter.
(d)
Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the
original appointment was made.
(e)
Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties on the commission. The General
Assembly is authorized to provide for the payment of reasonable compensation to
the members of the commission. The General Assembly shall provide adequate
funding to the commission, including the employment of a competent staff, in
order for the commission to carry out its duties. The General Assembly shall
provide adequate funding for the representation of the commission in any
litigation, and the Department of Law shall have the responsibility for such
representation.
(f)
The commission shall have the following duties:
(1)
To create proposed congressional and House of Representatives and Senate
legislative districts for submission to the General Assembly for approval or
rejection;
(2)
Prior to developing a proposed plan or making any recommendations, to conduct
public hearings throughout all areas of this state, including at least one
hearing in each congressional district in this state, after adequate advance
notice to the public so that all interested citizens will have a reasonable
opportunity to express their views with regard to redistricting plans;
and
(3)
To inform and encourage the attendance of the media at all public hearings and
meetings of the commission.
(g)
In developing proposed redistricting plans for submission to the General
Assembly for approval or rejection, the commission shall adhere to the following
criteria:
(1)
The plan shall be in compliance with the Constitutions of this state and the
United States;
(2)
The plan shall be in compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as
amended;
(3)
The plan shall contain only contiguous districts;
(4)
The plan shall contain districts that are as compact as possible or
practicable;
(5)
The plan shall maintain communities of interest, as determined by the commission
from time to time to the extent that it is reasonably possible to do so;
and
(6)
The plan, if for congressional redistricting, shall provide for zero deviation
among the districts and, if for legislative redistricting, shall provide for as
close as practicable to zero deviation among the districts.
(h)
The commission shall, no later than July 1 of the year following the year in
which a United States decennial census is conducted, submit its report with a
proposed congressional redistricting plan, a proposed redistricting plan for the
House of Representatives, and a proposed redistricting plan for the Senate to
the General Assembly for approval. Such plans shall be voted upon by the
General Assembly without amendment. If either house of the General Assembly
declines to approve a plan, the plan and the report shall be returned to the
commission with such specific suggestions as the Senate or the House of
Representatives, as applicable, believes would eliminate the basis for
disapproval of the plan. The commission shall then meet and revise the plan and
submit a new report and proposed plan to the General Assembly within 15 days
following the disapproval of the plan. Such revised plan shall be voted upon by
the General Assembly without amendment. If either house of the General Assembly
declines to approve the revised plan, the General Assembly shall proceed to
formulate and enact a redistricting plan on its own.
(i)
Upon the approval or final rejection of each of the proposed plans by the
General Assembly, the commission shall be
dissolved."
SECTION
2.
The
above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot
submitting the above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon
the following:
"( ) YES
( ) NO
|
Shall
the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide for the creation of the
Citizens' Redistricting Commission for the purpose of assisting the General
Assembly in congressional and legislative redistricting following each United
States decennial census?"
|
All
persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote
"Yes." All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment
shall vote "No." If
such amendment
shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
become a part of the Constitution of this state.