S0222B0268A01777 MAB:EJH 06/16/21 #90 A01777
AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL NO. 222
Sponsor: SENATOR ARGALL
Printer's No. 268
Amend Bill, page 1, lines 1 through 18; page 2, lines 1
through 10; by striking out all of said lines on said pages and
inserting
Providing for congressional reapportionment and reapportionment
criteria.
Amend Bill, page 2, lines 13 through 30; pages 3 through 12,
lines 1 through 30; page 13, lines 1 through 22; by striking out
all of said lines on said pages and inserting
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Congressional
Reapportionment Standards Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Census." The decennial count or enumeration of the
population required by section 2 of Article I of the
Constitution of the United States and related Federal law
conducted every 10 years in years ending in zero.
"Census block." The smallest and lowest level of geography
used by the United States Census Bureau to tabulate population
data collected during the census, that is compiled with others
into block groups, which are then compiled into census tracts,
and that may have any population level including zero.
"Committees." The State Government Committee of the Senate
and the State Government Committee of the House of
Representatives or their successor committees.
"Congressional district." The boundaries defining the
constituency from which a member of the Congress of the United
States is elected.
"Congressional reapportionment plan." A proposal to
establish election boundaries for congressional districts
prepared under the requirements of this act. The term includes a
reapportionment plan.
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"Deviation." A statistical formula measuring the degree to
which the population of a congressional district varies from the
ideal population of that district as expressed as a percentage.
"Ideal population." A population figure determined by
dividing the total population of this Commonwealth by the number
of congressional districts to be created as determined by the
census.
"Municipal fragment or enclave." A portion of a political
subdivision that is geographically isolated from a congressional
district because it is surrounded entirely by another political
subdivision or equivalent jurisdiction.
"Overall range." The difference in population between the
largest and the smallest congressional districts as expressed as
a percentage that reflects the difference in the number of
people between districts.
"Plan." A congressional reapportionment proposal offered
under the provisions of this act.
"Political subdivision." A city, county, incorporated town,
borough, township or ward within this Commonwealth.
"Reapportionment." The redrawing of this Commonwealth's
congressional representatives based upon data from the census.
The term includes redistricting.
"Voting district." Boundaries established to administer
elections for congressional districts. The term may include an
election district or precinct.
Section 3. Committee responsibilities.
Not longer than 30 days after the official reporting of the
census, the committees shall:
(1) Determine that data from the United States Census
Bureau provided in accordance with 13 U.S.C. § 141 (relating
to population and other census information) is available and
useable.
(2) Determine the ideal population for each
congressional district.
(3) Disseminate information to the public on data to be
used in creating, evaluating or analyzing maps or drafting
plans, which shall include census block data, voting
districts and requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(Public Law 89-110, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 et seq.), as
interpreted by the United States Supreme Court.
(4) Develop a system for receiving and publicly sharing
written comments and citizen congressional reapportionment
plans.
(5) Conduct at least four public hearings to receive
input from four different and distinct regions of this
Commonwealth on plans.
(6) Provide written explanations of:
(i) how a plan divides congressional districts into
compact and contiguous territory nearly equal in
population as practicable while ensuring no division of
any county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or
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ward unless absolutely necessary in accordance with
section 4.
(ii) how a plan complies with section 4;
(iii) how a plan considers public comments and
citizen map submissions; and
(iv) the differences between preliminary plans and
the final plan.
Section 4. Congressional district standards.
(a) General rule.--Congressional districts shall be
established on the basis of population. Each congressional
district shall have a deviation from the ideal population that
shall not exceed the overall range of a congressional district
plan. A congressional district plan shall have an overall range
of 0%, except a higher range shall be used to prevent the
division of or in any political subdivision as provided for in
subsection (b).
(b) Boundaries.--Congressional district boundaries shall
coincide with the boundaries of political subdivisions as
follows:
(1) A city, incorporated town, borough or township with
a population less than the ideal population of a
congressional district may not be divided.
(2) The number of counties and wards divided to form one
or more congressional districts shall be the minimum number
necessary to not exceed the overall range established under
subsection (a).
(3) If a division is necessitated under paragraph (2),
the number of divisions in a county or ward to form one or
more congressional district shall be the minimum number
necessary to achieve equal population under subsection (a).
(4) No voting precinct may be divided.
(5) Preference shall be given to maintaining school
district boundaries but not if doing so would create a
division to a political subdivision.
(c) Contiguous.--The boundaries of each district shall be
drawn using a single nonintersecting continuous line. A county
or municipal fragment or enclave containing less than fifty
persons shall be considered contiguous to the district if the
remainder of the county or municipality is wholly within the
same district.
(d) Compactness.--The boundaries of each district shall
provide for geographic compactness, however, geographic
compactness shall not take precedence over the preceding
criteria, including, but not limited to, overall range and
number of political subdivisions divided.
(e) Voting Rights Act.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require or permit any reapportionment policy or
action that is contrary to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public
Law 89-110, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 et seq.), as interpreted by the
United States Supreme Court.
Section 5. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect immediately.
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