Amends Article II of the NC Constitution to create a new Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) that, beginning with the return of the 2020 national census, will have the authority to adopt redistricting plans for state Senate districts, state House of Representative districts, and US House of Representatives districts that would have the same force and effect as acts of the General Assembly. The General Assembly will no longer adopt redistricting plans. The IRC will consist of nine members, two from different political parties appointed by the Chief Justice of the NC Supreme Court, three (of which no more than two may be from the same political party) appointed by the Governor, and one each appointed by the Speaker of the NC House of Representatives, the leader in the House of Representatives from the political party with the next highest or equal number of members as the party of the Speaker, the President Pro Tempore of the NC Senate, and the leader in the Senate of the political party with the next highest or equal number of members as the party of the President Pro Tempore. Appointees to the IRC may not have held elective office or been a candidate for elective office for a period of four years prior to and after their service on the IRC. The IRC must adopt its plans no later than October 1 of the year following a national decennial census. Requires districts be created to satisfy as much as possible three goals: compactness, to avoid irregularly shaped districts; one person, one vote; and minimizing the number of split counties, municipalities, and other communities of interest. Prohibits the IRC from considering as part of the plans the political affiliation of voters, voting data from past elections, location of incumbents' residences, or demographic data from sources other than the census. Racial and ethnic data may be used only to comply with the US Constitution and federal election laws. Proposed changes are subject to voter approval at the November 2014 general election.
If the constitutional amendments are approved, enacts new Article 12B (Redistricting) in GS Chapter 163, consisting of new GS 163-134. Requires theĀ IRC to retain independent staff under contract to prepare redistricting plans. Prohibits providing the staff any instruction as to the content of the plans other than to follow the guidelines in Section 25 of Article II of the state constitution.
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
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View NCGA Bill Details | 2013-2014 Session |
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION TO HANDLE REDISTRICTING AFTER THE 2020 CENSUS AND THEREAFTER.Intro. by Blust.
Status: Ref to the Com on Elections, if favorable, Appropriations (House Action) (Apr 15 2013)
Bill History:
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Thu, 11 Apr 2013 House: Filed
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Mon, 15 Apr 2013 House: Passed 1st Reading
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Mon, 15 Apr 2013 House: Ref to the Com on Elections, if favorable, Appropriations
H 910
Bill Summaries:
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Bill H 910 (2013-2014)Summary date: Apr 16 2013 - View Summary
View: All Summaries for Bill