Bill Summary for S 715 (2019-2020)
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View NCGA Bill Details | 2019-2020 Session |
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR THE CREATION AND SELECTION OF COUNTY CLUSTER MAPS TO BE USED WHEN REVISING DISTRICTS FOR THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOLLOWING THE RETURN OF THE 2020 DECENNIAL CENSUS.Intro. by Clark, Woodard.
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Bill summary
Includes whereas clauses concerning legislative redistricting. Sets forth 14 defined terms.
Details a seven-step process for establishing cluster maps to use for the apportionment of seats and the nomination and election of members of the NCGA Senate and House of Representatives following the return of the 2020 census. Defines a cluster as a grouping of one or more counties that is capable of containing a whole number of legislative districts. Requires the State Board of Elections (State Board) to develop and provide, through the Executive Director, to the Senate Pro Tempore, the House Speaker, and their Principal Clerks, a cluster map set from the data from the 2020 decennial census, as defined, within 28 days of receipt of the data. Defines a cluster map set to mean the total collection of optimum cluster maps for consideration prior to revising the legislative districts. Authorizes the State Board to delegate development responsibility to the Department of Mathematics at Duke University or the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill. Requires the Executive Director to ensure that each cluster map in the set includes specified notes and tables, shapefiles and block assignment files, and is provided in Portable Document Format. Requires the NCGA Principal Clerks to make the cluster map set available to legislators within 29 days of the date the data from the 2020 decennial census is provided to the State. Requires legislative committees tasked with reapportioning legislative districts to post the cluster map set on its website within 30 days of the date the data from the 2020 decennial census is provided to the State, and allows for at least five days of public comment before taking any committee action. Requires all legislative committees tasked with legislative redistricting to meet jointly to receive in-person public comment on the cluster map set provided by the State Board within 37 days of the date the data from the 2020 decennial census is provided to the State. Expressly prohibits legislative committees tasked with legislative redistricting to consider incumbency protection or partisan advantage when selecting a cluster map.
Appropriates $25,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Fund to the State Board for the 2020-21 fiscal year for contracting to develop a cluster map set. Specifies that the funds remain available until August 31, 2021. Reenacts and incorporates by reference the provisions of GS Chapter 143C, the State Budget Act. Provides for the continued validity of any 2019 legislation expressly appropriating funds to an agency, department or institution covered under the act unless expressly repealed or amended by the act. Provides that this act supersedes any conflicting provision of HB 966 (Appropriations Act of 2019) if that act becomes law. Effective July 1, 2020.