H.J.R. 6

1

REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES JOINT RULES
2 RESOLUTION
3 2011 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Rebecca Chavez-Houck
6 Senate Sponsor: ____________
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution enacts redistricting principles in joint legislative rule.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 . enacts redistricting principles to guide the Legislature during redistricting.
14 Special Clauses:
15 None
16 Legislative Rules Affected:
17 ENACTS:
18 JR7-1-101
19
20 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
21 Section 1. JR7-1-101 is enacted to read:
22 TITLE 7. REDISTRICTING
23 CHAPTER 1. REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES
24 JR7-1-101. Redistricting principles.
25 (1) When the Legislature exercises its constitutional authority to divide the state into
26 congressional, legislative, and other districts, the Legislature:
27 (a) shall draw redistricting plans in an open and transparent process to achieve

28 representative and participatory democracy;
29 (b) shall follow the redistricting principles in Subsection (2); and
30 (c) may follow the redistricting principles in Subsection (3).
31 (2) Redistricting plans shall:
32 (a) comply with the federal and state constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
33 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1973 et seq.;
34 (b) ensure that state legislative districts and school board districts have substantial
35 equality of population among the various districts, with a deviation not greater than +/- 4%;
36 (c) ensure that congressional districts must be as nearly equal as practicable in the
37 population among the various districts, with a deviation not greater than +/- .5%;
38 (d) ensure that each district is contiguous;
39 (e) ensure that each district is reasonably compact; and
40 (f) be drawn with single member districts.
41 (3) Redistricting plans, to the degree reasonably achievable, strive to:
42 (a) keep municipalities and townships intact;
43 (b) respect existing city and county boundaries;
44 (c) maintain, to the greatest extent possible, communities of common interest; and
45 (d) promote meaningful competition between political parties rather than single party
46 districts which effectively silence the voice of the minority voter, regardless of political party
47 preference.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-8-11 3:35 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel