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H.B. 376

             1     

ADVISORY REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

             2     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Rebecca Chavez-Houck

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Election Code to establish an independent, bipartisan redistricting
             10      commission.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    establishes an independent, bipartisan redistricting commission that is composed of
             14      citizens;
             15          .    requires that redistricting only occur:
             16              .    every ten years after the decennial census; or
             17              .    in association with a change in the number of congressional or legislative seats
             18      for a reason other than the decennial census;
             19          .    establishes the membership requirements and procedures for the commission;
             20          .    provides for the replacement and compensation of members;
             21          .    requires the commission to prepare a redistricting plan for presentation to the
             22      Legislature;
             23          .    provides factors for the commission's consideration when preparing an advisory
             24      redistricting plan;
             25          .    provides that technical staff for the commission be provided by the Office of
             26      Legislative Research and General Counsel;
             27          .    permits the commission to hire its own legal counsel, executive director, and other


             28      staff, and to incur reasonable expenses within the commission's budget and duties;
             29          .    requires the commission to adopt a draft plan and permits alternative plans to be
             30      considered by the commission;
             31          .    requires the commission to hold public hearings on the draft plan and any
             32      alternative plans adopted by the commission;
             33          .    requires the commission to adopt a final advisory redistricting plan and request that
             34      the plan be submitted to the Legislature for the Legislature's consideration; and
             35          .    provides a severability clause.
             36      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             37          None
             38      Other Special Clauses:
             39          None
             40      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             41      ENACTS:
             42          20A-16-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             43          20A-16-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             44          20A-16-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             45          20A-16-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             46          20A-16-105, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             47          20A-16-106, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             48          20A-16-107, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             49          20A-16-108, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             50     
             51      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             52          Section 1. Section 20A-16-101 is enacted to read:
             53     
CHAPTER 16. ADVISORY REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

             54     
Part 1. Advisory Redistricting Commission

             55          20A-16-101. Title.
             56          This chapter is known as the "Advisory Redistricting Commission."
             57          Section 2. Section 20A-16-102 is enacted to read:
             58          20A-16-102. Timing of redistricting.


             59          (1) In accordance with Utah Constitution Article IX, Section 1, the Legislature shall
             60      divide the state into congressional, legislative, and other districts at the session next following
             61      an enumeration made by the United States.
             62          (2) Redistricting may occur only at the following times:
             63          (a) every ten years, in the year following the federal decennial census; and
             64          (b) in association with a change in the number of congressional or legislative districts
             65      that results from an event other than the federal decennial census.
             66          Section 3. Section 20A-16-103 is enacted to read:
             67          20A-16-103. Advisory Redistricting Commission -- Creation -- Appointment --
             68      Requirements for commission members.
             69          (1) There is created an Advisory Redistricting Commission to prepare an advisory
             70      redistricting plan to the Legislature.
             71          (2) (a) The commission shall:
             72          (i) consist of nine members, appointed as provided in Subsection (2)(b); and
             73          (ii) be reconstituted in connection with each redistricting, consistent with Section
             74      20A-16-102 .
             75          (b) (i) On or before January 31 of the year following the federal decennial census:
             76          (A) two members shall be appointed by the president of the Senate;
             77          (B) two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
             78          (C) two members shall be appointed by the leader of the minority party in the Senate;
             79      and
             80          (D) two members shall be appointed by the leader of the minority party in the House of
             81      Representatives.
             82          (ii) (A) The four members appointed under Subsections (2)(b)(i)(A) and (B) shall
             83      select one among them to be a vice chair of the commission.
             84          (B) The four members appointed under Subsections (2)(b)(i)(C) and (D) shall select
             85      one among them to be a vice chair of the commission.
             86          (C) The two vice chairs selected under Subsections (2)(b)(ii)(A) and (B) shall appoint a
             87      ninth member of the commission who shall be chair of the commission.
             88          (3) (a) At the time of appointment, each commission member shall:
             89          (i) be a citizen of the United States;


             90          (ii) be at least 25 years of age; and
             91          (iii) have been a resident of the state for three consecutive years immediately before
             92      appointment.
             93          (b) The following persons may not be appointed to or serve on the commission:
             94          (i) a person who holds an elected or appointed public office;
             95          (ii) a lobbyist as defined in Section 36-11-102 ; or
             96          (iii) a principal as defined in Section 36-11-102 .
             97          (4) A person who serves as a member of the commission may not seek election to or
             98      hold any of the offices for which the commission establishes districts under Subsection (1)
             99      until after the completion of the election for that office that follows the adoption of a
             100      redistricting plan by the commission of which the person was a member.
             101          (5) When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the commission for any reason, the
             102      vacancy shall be filled, within 14 days of the date of the vacancy, in the same manner as the
             103      appointment of the original member.
             104          (6) (a) Except as specifically required elsewhere in this chapter, attendance of a
             105      majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the conducting of
             106      business and the taking of official action.
             107          (b) The commission shall meet upon the request of a majority of the members of the
             108      commission.
             109          (7) (a) Members shall not receive compensation or benefits for their services, but
             110      commission members who are not government employees may receive per diem and expenses
             111      incurred in the performance of the members' official duties at the rates established by the
             112      Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
             113          (b) A commission member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for service to
             114      the commission.
             115          Section 4. Section 20A-16-104 is enacted to read:
             116          20A-16-104. Duties of commission -- Standards for preparation of advisory
             117      redistricting plans -- Staff.
             118          (1) The commission shall prepare an advisory redistricting plan that divides the state
             119      into single member districts for each congressional, state House, state Senate, and state school
             120      board district as required by the decennial enumeration or other change in the number of


             121      congressional or legislative seats consistent with Section 20A-16-102 .
             122          (2) In preparing a draft, alternative, or final advisory redistricting plan as required
             123      under this chapter, the commission shall do the following:
             124          (a) at the commencement of the mapping process for both the congressional and
             125      legislative districts, initially create districts of roughly equal population across the state; and
             126          (b) adjust the districts as necessary to accommodate, to the extent practicable, the
             127      following goals:
             128          (i) complying with the requirements of the United States Constitution, the Utah State
             129      Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973, et seq.;
             130          (ii) equalizing population between districts, using the most recent population data as
             131      reported in the official federal census data;
             132          (iii) creating contiguous and reasonably compact districts;
             133          (iv) utilizing existing political boundaries and census tracts in the creation of district
             134      boundaries;
             135          (v) preserving communities of common interest;
             136          (vi) utilizing natural and geographic boundaries and barriers in the creation of district
             137      boundaries; and
             138          (vii) promoting competitiveness and partisan fairness, where it would create no
             139      significant detriment to the goals listed above.
             140          (3) (a) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide the
             141      technical staff for the commission.
             142          (b) Upon a majority vote of the members of the commission, the commission may:
             143          (i) employ an executive director, legal counsel, and other staff to assist the
             144      commission; and
             145          (ii) incur other reasonable expenses within the authorized budget of the commission
             146      and consistent with the commission's duties.
             147          Section 5. Section 20A-16-105 is enacted to read:
             148          20A-16-105. Preparation and adoption of draft advisory redistricting plan --
             149      Alternative advisory redistricting plans.
             150          (1) The commission shall prepare and, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
             151      members of the commission, adopt a draft advisory redistricting plan within 150 days after the


             152      later of:
             153          (a) the date that the decennial enumeration data are available to the public; and
             154          (b) the date the commission is constituted under Section 20A-16-103 .
             155          (2) (a) In addition to the draft advisory redistricting plan, a commission member may
             156      introduce one or more alternative redistricting plans for consideration by the commission.
             157          (b) The commission, by a majority vote, may authorize one or more alternative
             158      advisory redistricting plans to be presented as alternatives to the draft advisory redistricting
             159      plan during the public hearings provided for in Section 20A-16-106 .
             160          Section 6. Section 20A-16-106 is enacted to read:
             161          20A-16-106. Public hearings -- Timing and locations -- Public notice.
             162          (1) (a) Within 14 days after the date of adopting a draft advisory redistricting plan, the
             163      commission shall hold the first of no less than seven public hearings throughout Utah as
             164      follows:
             165          (i) one in the Bear River region -- Box Elder, Cache, or Rich County;
             166          (ii) one in the Southwest region -- Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, or Washington
             167      County;
             168          (iii) one in the Mountain region -- Summit, Utah, or Wasatch County;
             169          (iv) one in the Central region -- Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, or Wayne
             170      County;
             171          (v) one in the Southeast region -- Carbon, Emery, Grand, or San Juan County;
             172          (vi) one in the Uintah Basin region -- Daggett, Duchesne, or Uintah County; and
             173          (vii) one in the Wasatch Front region -- Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake, Tooele, or Weber
             174      County.
             175          (b) At least two meetings must be held in a first or second class county, but the
             176      meetings may not be held in the same county.
             177          (c) The number and location of the public hearings shall be determined by a majority
             178      vote of the commission.
             179          (d) Subject to Subsection (1)(e), public hearings may be held in the order and on a
             180      schedule adopted by a majority vote of the commission.
             181          (e) The last public hearing shall be completed within 190 days after the later of:
             182          (i) the date that the decennial enumeration data are available to the public; and


             183          (ii) the date the commission is constituted under Section 20A-16-103 .
             184          (2) At least three calendar days before the date of each public hearing, the commission
             185      shall:
             186          (a) provide written notice of the public hearing to:
             187          (i) the lieutenant governor for posting on the state's website; and
             188          (ii) each state senator, state representative, and county commission or county council
             189      member who is elected in whole or in part from the region where the public hearing will be
             190      held; and
             191          (b) publish written notice of the public hearing detailing its time, date, and location in
             192      at least one newspaper of general circulation in each county in the region where the public
             193      hearing will be held.
             194          (3) (a) During the public hearing, the commission shall either:
             195          (i) record the public hearing, by video and audio, or by audio only, and deposit a
             196      complete copy of the recording of meeting with the Division of Archives and Records Services
             197      within seven days of the date of the meeting; or
             198          (ii) take comprehensive minutes of the public hearing, detailing the names and titles of
             199      each speaker and summarizing each speaker's comments.
             200          (b) During each public hearing, the commission shall accept written comments from
             201      the public.
             202          (c) The Division of Archives and Records Services shall make copies of the written
             203      comments and the recordings or minutes available to the public.
             204          (4) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-16-103 (6), public hearings may be held by the
             205      commission with less than a quorum present, however, at least four members of the
             206      commission shall attend each public hearing.
             207          Section 7. Section 20A-16-107 is enacted to read:
             208          20A-16-107. Final advisory redistricting plan -- Resolution for submission to
             209      Legislature.
             210          (1) (a) After completion of the public hearings, the commission shall prepare and adopt
             211      a final advisory redistricting plan.
             212          (b) In preparing the final advisory redistricting plan, the commission shall:
             213          (i) review the following:


             214          (A) the written comments and the records or minutes of the public hearings;
             215          (B) the draft advisory redistricting plan; and
             216          (C) as applicable, the alternative advisory redistricting plan; and
             217          (ii) adopt a final advisory redistricting plan by adopting:
             218          (A) the draft advisory redistricting plan;
             219          (B) an alternative advisory redistricting plan; or
             220          (C) a new plan that is prepared according to the requirements of Subsection
             221      20A-16-104 (2).
             222          (2) The commission shall complete the process of adopting a final advisory
             223      redistricting plan on or before November 30 of the year following the federal decennial census,
             224      but no earlier than the third Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
             225          (3) Adoption of the advisory redistricting plan requires the affirmative vote of at least
             226      six members of the commission.
             227          (4) After adoption of the final advisory redistricting plan, the commission shall, by the
             228      affirmative vote of at least six members of the commission, adopt a resolution that:
             229          (a) states that a final advisory redistricting plan has been adopted by the commission;
             230          (b) requests that the final advisory redistricting plan be submitted to the Legislature for
             231      legislative review and action; and
             232          (c) designates a member of the Legislature as the commission's preferred sponsor of
             233      legislation to submit the plan to the Legislature.
             234          Section 8. Section 20A-16-108 is enacted to read:
             235          20A-16-108. Severability.
             236          If any word, phrase, sentence, or section of this chapter or its application to any person
             237      or circumstance is determined to be invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or
             238      applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application,
             239      and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-30-08 2:33 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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