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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 4, 2020 09:32 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Valerie S. Gaydos |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Non Partisan Congressional and State Redistricting Act |
| In the near future I will be introducing legislation that would model Pennsylvania’s Congressional redistricting off of Iowa’s system. This new system will maintain the responsibility for redistricting with the legislature but enable non-partisan staff within an existing non-partisan body to draw the lines. Every ten years, a temporary redistricting advisory commission will be created within the Legislative Reference Bureau. This commission will consist of five members. Four members will be appointed by Majority and Minority leaders of the House and Senate. Once those Four members are chosen, they will choose a fifth member who will also become the chairperson. This commission will create a plan and introduce them as identical bills in the House and Senate. If the plan fails in either chamber, the plan, along with information as to why the plan was not approved will be sent to the commission for deliberation. When the commission has come up with a second plan, this plan will go through the regular legislative process and will be subject to amendment from the full General Assembly. This system of drawing the lines has a proven track record of working in Iowa since 1980, far longer than many other models other states are using. I hope you will support this legislation because only by establishing this commission within our already non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau will we truly have a map that free from partisan influence. |