Bill Text: MN HF1426 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Congressional districting plan for use in 2012 and thereafter adopted, and districting principles adopted for legislative and congressional districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2011-05-19 - Governor's action Veto Chapter 36 [HF1426 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF1426-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Congressional districting plan for use in 2012 and thereafter adopted, and districting principles adopted for legislative and congressional districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2011-05-19 - Governor's action Veto Chapter 36 [HF1426 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF1426-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to redistricting; adopting a congressional districting plan for use in 2012
1.3and thereafter; adopting districting principles for legislative and congressional
1.4districts;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 2.731; 2.91, subdivision 1;
1.5repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.031, subdivision 2.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.731, is amended to read:
1.82.731 NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.
1.9(a) The state of Minnesota is divided into eight congressional districts, each of which
1.10is entitled to elect one representative to the Congress of the United States of America.
1.11(b) Congressional redistricting plan C1101-0, on file with the Geographic
1.12Information Services Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission and published
1.13on its Web site on May 9, 2011, is adopted and describes the congressional districts within
1.14this state.
1.15 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.91, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.16 Subdivision 1. Distribution. Upon enactment of a redistricting plan for the
1.17legislature or for Congress, the Legislative Coordinating Commission shall deposit the
1.18plan with the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall provide copies of the relevant
1.19portions of the redistricting plan to each county auditor, who shall provide a copy of the
1.20relevant portions of the plan to each municipal clerk within the county. The secretary of
1.21state, with the cooperation of the commissioner of administration, shall make copies of the
1.22plan file, maps, and tables available to the public for the cost of publication. The revisor of
1.23statutes shall code a metes and bounds description of the districts, as established pursuant
2.1to legislative enactment or court order, in Minnesota Statutes no later than the date of the
2.2state primary in the year ending in two.
2.3 Sec. 3. DISTRICTING PRINCIPLES.
2.4 Subdivision 1. Applicability. The principles in this section apply to legislative
2.5and congressional districts.
2.6 Subd. 2. Nesting. A representative district may not be divided in the formation
2.7of a senate district.
2.8 Subd. 3. Equal population. (a) Legislative districts must be substantially equal
2.9in population. The population of a legislative district must not deviate from the ideal
2.10by more than one percent, plus or minus.
2.11(b) Congressional districts must be as nearly equal in population as practicable.
2.12 Subd. 4. Contiguity; compactness. The districts must be composed of convenient
2.13contiguous territory. To the extent consistent with the other principles in this section,
2.14districts should be compact. Contiguity by water is sufficient if the water is not a serious
2.15obstacle to travel within the district. Point contiguity is not sufficient.
2.16 Subd. 5. Numbering. (a) Legislative districts must be numbered in a regular series,
2.17beginning with house district 1A in the northwest corner of the state and proceeding across
2.18the state from west to east, north to south, but bypassing the 11-county metropolitan
2.19area until the southeast corner has been reached; then to the 11-county metropolitan area
2.20outside the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul; then in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
2.21(b) Congressional district numbers must begin with district one in the southeast
2.22corner of the state and end with district eight in the northeast corner of the state.
2.23 Subd. 6. Minority representation. (a) The dilution of racial or ethnic minority
2.24voting strength is contrary to the laws of the United States and the state of Minnesota.
2.25These principles must not be construed to supersede any provision of the Voting Rights
2.26Act of 1965, as amended.
2.27(b) A redistricting plan must not have the intent or effect of dispersing or
2.28concentrating minority population in a manner that prevents minority communities from
2.29electing their candidates of choice.
2.30 Subd. 7. Minor civil divisions. (a) A county, city, or town must not be unduly
2.31divided unless required to meet equal population requirements or to form districts
2.32composed of convenient, contiguous territory.
2.33(b) A county, city, or town is not unduly divided in the formation of a legislative or
2.34congressional district if:
3.1(1) the division occurs because a portion of a city or town is noncontiguous with
3.2another portion of the same city or town; or
3.3(2) despite the division, the known population of any affected county, city, or town
3.4remains wholly located within a single district.
3.5 Subd. 8. Preserving communities of interest. (a) Districts should attempt to
3.6preserve identifiable communities of interest where that can be done in compliance with
3.7the preceding principles.
3.8(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "communities of interest" means recognizable
3.9areas with similarities of interests, including but not limited to racial, ethnic, geographic,
3.10social, or cultural interests.
3.11 Subd. 9. Data to be used. The geographic areas and population counts used in
3.12maps, tables, and legal descriptions of the districts must be those used by the Geographic
3.13Information Services Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission. The population
3.14counts will be the 2010 block population counts provided to the state under Public Law
3.1594-171, subject to correction of any errors acknowledged by the United States Census
3.16Bureau.
3.17 Subd. 10. Consideration of plans. A redistricting plan must not be considered for
3.18adoption by the senate or house of representatives until a block equivalency file showing
3.19the district to which each census block has been assigned, in a form prescribed by the
3.20director of the Geographic Information Services Office, has been filed with the director.
3.21 Subd. 11. Priority of principles. Where it is not possible to fully comply with the
3.22principles contained in subdivisions 1 to 8, a redistricting plan must give priority to those
3.23principles in the order in which they are listed in this section, except to the extent that
3.24doing so would violate federal or state law.
3.25EFFECTIVE DATE; EXPIRATION. This section is effective the day following
3.26final enactment and applies to any plan for districts enacted or established for use at the
3.27state primary in 2012 and thereafter. This section expires June 1, 2012.
3.28 Sec. 4. REPEALER.
3.29Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.031, subdivision 2, is repealed.
3.30 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
3.31Except where otherwise provided, this act is effective for the state primary election
3.32in 2012 and thereafter.
1.3and thereafter; adopting districting principles for legislative and congressional
1.4districts;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 2.731; 2.91, subdivision 1;
1.5repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.031, subdivision 2.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.731, is amended to read:
1.82.731 NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.
1.9(a) The state of Minnesota is divided into eight congressional districts, each of which
1.10is entitled to elect one representative to the Congress of the United States of America.
1.11(b) Congressional redistricting plan C1101-0, on file with the Geographic
1.12Information Services Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission and published
1.13on its Web site on May 9, 2011, is adopted and describes the congressional districts within
1.14this state.
1.15 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.91, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.16 Subdivision 1. Distribution. Upon enactment of a redistricting plan for the
1.17legislature or for Congress, the Legislative Coordinating Commission shall deposit the
1.18plan with the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall provide copies of the relevant
1.19portions of the redistricting plan to each county auditor, who shall provide a copy of the
1.20relevant portions of the plan to each municipal clerk within the county. The secretary of
1.21state, with the cooperation of the commissioner of administration, shall make copies of the
1.22plan file, maps, and tables available to the public for the cost of publication. The revisor of
1.23statutes shall code a metes and bounds description of the districts, as established pursuant
2.1to legislative enactment or court order, in Minnesota Statutes no later than the date of the
2.2state primary in the year ending in two.
2.3 Sec. 3. DISTRICTING PRINCIPLES.
2.4 Subdivision 1. Applicability. The principles in this section apply to legislative
2.5and congressional districts.
2.6 Subd. 2. Nesting. A representative district may not be divided in the formation
2.7of a senate district.
2.8 Subd. 3. Equal population. (a) Legislative districts must be substantially equal
2.9in population. The population of a legislative district must not deviate from the ideal
2.10by more than one percent, plus or minus.
2.11(b) Congressional districts must be as nearly equal in population as practicable.
2.12 Subd. 4. Contiguity; compactness. The districts must be composed of convenient
2.13contiguous territory. To the extent consistent with the other principles in this section,
2.14districts should be compact. Contiguity by water is sufficient if the water is not a serious
2.15obstacle to travel within the district. Point contiguity is not sufficient.
2.16 Subd. 5. Numbering. (a) Legislative districts must be numbered in a regular series,
2.17beginning with house district 1A in the northwest corner of the state and proceeding across
2.18the state from west to east, north to south, but bypassing the 11-county metropolitan
2.19area until the southeast corner has been reached; then to the 11-county metropolitan area
2.20outside the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul; then in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
2.21(b) Congressional district numbers must begin with district one in the southeast
2.22corner of the state and end with district eight in the northeast corner of the state.
2.23 Subd. 6. Minority representation. (a) The dilution of racial or ethnic minority
2.24voting strength is contrary to the laws of the United States and the state of Minnesota.
2.25These principles must not be construed to supersede any provision of the Voting Rights
2.26Act of 1965, as amended.
2.27(b) A redistricting plan must not have the intent or effect of dispersing or
2.28concentrating minority population in a manner that prevents minority communities from
2.29electing their candidates of choice.
2.30 Subd. 7. Minor civil divisions. (a) A county, city, or town must not be unduly
2.31divided unless required to meet equal population requirements or to form districts
2.32composed of convenient, contiguous territory.
2.33(b) A county, city, or town is not unduly divided in the formation of a legislative or
2.34congressional district if:
3.1(1) the division occurs because a portion of a city or town is noncontiguous with
3.2another portion of the same city or town; or
3.3(2) despite the division, the known population of any affected county, city, or town
3.4remains wholly located within a single district.
3.5 Subd. 8. Preserving communities of interest. (a) Districts should attempt to
3.6preserve identifiable communities of interest where that can be done in compliance with
3.7the preceding principles.
3.8(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "communities of interest" means recognizable
3.9areas with similarities of interests, including but not limited to racial, ethnic, geographic,
3.10social, or cultural interests.
3.11 Subd. 9. Data to be used. The geographic areas and population counts used in
3.12maps, tables, and legal descriptions of the districts must be those used by the Geographic
3.13Information Services Office of the Legislative Coordinating Commission. The population
3.14counts will be the 2010 block population counts provided to the state under Public Law
3.1594-171, subject to correction of any errors acknowledged by the United States Census
3.16Bureau.
3.17 Subd. 10. Consideration of plans. A redistricting plan must not be considered for
3.18adoption by the senate or house of representatives until a block equivalency file showing
3.19the district to which each census block has been assigned, in a form prescribed by the
3.20director of the Geographic Information Services Office, has been filed with the director.
3.21 Subd. 11. Priority of principles. Where it is not possible to fully comply with the
3.22principles contained in subdivisions 1 to 8, a redistricting plan must give priority to those
3.23principles in the order in which they are listed in this section, except to the extent that
3.24doing so would violate federal or state law.
3.25EFFECTIVE DATE; EXPIRATION. This section is effective the day following
3.26final enactment and applies to any plan for districts enacted or established for use at the
3.27state primary in 2012 and thereafter. This section expires June 1, 2012.
3.28 Sec. 4. REPEALER.
3.29Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 2.031, subdivision 2, is repealed.
3.30 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
3.31Except where otherwise provided, this act is effective for the state primary election
3.32in 2012 and thereafter.
