Sec. 2453. Criteria for redistricting plan; public notice and input
961 words·~4 min read·
/bill/117/hr/1/eh/section-2453A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The independent redistricting commission of a State under this part shall hold each of its meetings in public, shall solicit and take into consideration comments from the public, including proposed maps, throughout the process of developing the redistricting plan for the State, and shall carry out its duties in an open and transparent manner which provides for the widest public dissemination reasonably possible of its proposed and final redistricting plans. The commission shall solicit, accept, and consider comments from the public with respect to its duties, activities, and procedures at any time until 7 days before the date of the meeting at which the commission shall vote on approving the final redistricting plan for enactment into law under subsection (c)(2).
To the greatest extent practicable, the commission shall hold its meetings and hearings in various geographic regions and locations throughout the State. The commission shall make each notice which is required to be published under this section available in any language in which the State (or any jurisdiction in the State) is required to provide election materials under section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Prior to developing and publishing a final redistricting plan under subsection (c), the independent redistricting commission of a State under this part shall develop and publish a preliminary redistricting plan.
Prior to developing a preliminary redistricting plan under this subsection, the commission shall hold not fewer than 2 public hearings at which members of the public may provide input and comments regarding the potential contents of redistricting plans for the State and the process by which the commission will develop the preliminary plan under this subsection. The commission shall provide for the publication of notices of each hearing held under this paragraph, including in newspapers of general circulation throughout the State.
Each such notice shall specify the date, time, and location of the hearing. Any member of the public may submit maps or portions of maps for consideration by the commission. The commission shall provide for the publication of the preliminary redistricting plan developed under this subsection, including in newspapers of general circulation throughout the State, and shall make publicly available a report that includes the commission’s responses to any public comments received under this subsection.
The commission shall accept and consider comments from the public with respect to the preliminary redistricting plan published under paragraph (3), including proposed revisions to maps, until 14 days before the date of the meeting under subsection (c)(2) at which the members of the commission shall vote on approving the final redistricting plan for enactment into law. After publishing the preliminary redistricting plan under paragraph (3), and not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting under subsection (c)(2) at which the members of the commission shall vote on approving the final redistricting plan for enactment into law, the commission shall hold not fewer than 2 public hearings in different geographic areas of the State at which members of the public may provide input and comments regarding the preliminary plan.
The commission shall provide for the publication of notices of each hearing held under this paragraph, including in newspapers of general circulation throughout the State. Each such notice shall specify the date, time, and location of the hearing. At the option of the commission, after developing and publishing the preliminary redistricting plan under this subsection, the commission may develop and publish subsequent preliminary redistricting plans, so long as the process for the development and publication of each such subsequent plan meets the requirements set forth in this subsection for the development and publication of the first preliminary redistricting plan.
After taking into consideration comments from the public on any preliminary redistricting plan developed and published under subsection (b), the independent redistricting commission of a State under this part shall develop and publish a final redistricting plan for the State. Not later than the deadline specified in subsection (e), the commission shall hold a public hearing at which the members of the commission shall vote on approving the final plan for enactment into law. Not fewer than 14 days before the date of the meeting under paragraph (2), the commission shall make the following information to the public, including through newspapers of general circulation throughout the State:
The final redistricting plan, including all relevant maps. A report by the commission to accompany the plan which provides the background for the plan and the commission’s reasons for selecting the plan as the final redistricting plan, including responses to the public comments received on any preliminary redistricting plan developed and published under subsection (b). Any dissenting or additional views with respect to the plan of individual members of the commission. The final redistricting plan developed and published under this subsection shall be deemed to be enacted into law upon the expiration of the 45-day period which begins on the date on which— such final plan is approved by a majority of the whole membership of the commission; and at least one member of the commission appointed from each of the categories of the approved selection pool described in section 2452(b)(1) approves such final plan.
The independent redistricting commission of a State under this part shall include with each redistricting plan developed and published under this section a written evaluation that measures each such plan against external metrics which cover the criteria set forth section 2403(a), including the impact of the plan on the ability of communities of color to elect candidates of choice, measures of partisan fairness using multiple accepted methodologies, and the degree to which the plan preserves or divides communities of interest.
The independent redistricting commission of a State under this part shall approve a final redistricting plan for the State not later than November 15, 2021.