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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/20/2024 12:10 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=26884
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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 7, 2018 12:01 PM
From: Senator Lisa M. Boscola and Sen. Mike Folmer
To: All Senate members
Subject: Redistricting Reform - Establishing an Independent Commission
 
Shortly, we plan to introduce legislation to amend Pennsylvania’s Constitution to change how Congressional and General Assembly election maps are drawn. Our proposal reflects amendments offered to 2017 – 2018 legislation that were overwhelmingly approved in the Senate State Government Committee and on the floor of the Senate.

Specifically, the proposal seeks to:
  • Establish an 11-member, independent commission to draw election maps. The commission is comprised of:
    • Four Democrats recommended by Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders
    • Four Republicans recommended by Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders
    • Three independents recommended by Governor
  • Confirmation of the members must be done by 2/3 of both the House and Senate.
Note: Application and selection processes to-be-determined.
  • Commission has one year to draw congressional, House, and Senate Districts.

  • Commission approval of maps would require seven of the 11 members – with at least:
    • Two Democrats;
    • Two Republicans, and;
    • Two independents or other parties supporting the proposed maps.

  • If Commission fails to approve maps by October 15, Commission must:
    • Submit two or three sets of maps for two-thirds approval by General Assembly
      • Congressional;
      • State House of Representatives, and;
      • Senate of Pennsylvania.

  • If General Assembly fails to approve maps, Pennsylvania Supreme Court approves
    • One map from each of sets of maps using established criteria.

  • Other requirements:
    • No lobbyists or legislative staff appointed to the independent commission;
    • Appointees must be properly registered to vote prior to Commission service, and;
    • Limit the number of splits of counties, municipalities, and wards.

We hope you will join us for these much needed and long overdue reforms. We made great strides last year, working together in bi-partisan fashion to get this accomplished. Let us pick up where we left off, and see this through together.

Introduced as SB22