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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint rules resolution of the Legislature enacts provisions related to redistricting.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 ▸ enacts principles and procedures to guide the Legislature during redistricting.
14 Special Clauses:
15 None
16 Legislative Rules Affected:
17 ENACTS:
18 JR7-1-101
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20 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
21 Section 1. JR7-1-101 is enacted to read:
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24 JR7-1-101. Redistricting principles and procedures.
25 (1) When the Legislature exercises the Legislature's constitutional authority to divide
26 the state into legislative districts, the Legislature shall, to the extent practicable, comply with
27 the following redistricting principles, in the following order of priority:
28 (a) comply with the federal and the state constitutions;
29 (b) ensure that there is substantial equality of population between each district;
30 (c) ensure that each district is contiguous;
31 (d) ensure that each district is reasonably compact;
32 (e) permit small deviations in population between districts for the purpose of
33 complying with the principles and procedures described in this section;
34 (f) follow county and municipal boundaries, to the extent reasonably practicable by:
35 (i) giving first priority to county boundaries and second priority to municipal
36 boundaries; and
37 (ii) permitting small deviations in population between districts to avoid unnecessary
38 division of municipalities with less population, especially those in less-populated counties; and
39 (g) when creating districts that include areas from more than one county, to the extent
40 practicable:
41 (i) join areas of the counties that are directly and proximately connected by a
42 commonly-used road;
43 (ii) permit small deviations in population between districts to ensure effective
44 representation in less-populated areas; and
45 (iii) join areas of the counties that share common commercial or other interests.
46 (2) In addition to the requirements described in Subsection (1), the Legislature shall
47 comply with the following procedures:
48 (a) determine the standard district population by dividing the total state population, as
49 determined by the most recent decennial census, by the total number of districts;
50 (b) determine each county's district quotient by dividing the population of the county
51 by the standard district population;
52 (c) list the counties in descending order from the county with the highest district
53 quotient to the county with the lowest district quotient;
54 (d) to determine the presumed number of districts to be formed entirely within a
55 county, round the district quotient of each county with a district quotient of more than one
56 down to the nearest whole number;
57 (e) for each county with a district quotient of less than one, list the counties in
58 descending order from the county with the highest district quotient to the county with the
59 lowest district quotient; and
60 (f) create districts that include areas from more than one county by:
61 (i) to the extent practicable, starting with the undivided area of the counties at the top
62 of the list described in Subsection (2)(e); and
63 (ii) combining the areas described in Subsection (2)(f)(i) with areas on the list in
64 adjacent counties, while, to the extent reasonably practicable, keeping the areas in the adjacent
65 counties whole.
66 (3) The Legislature should draw legislative districts with the sole objective of
67 achieving fair and proportional representation of the state's residents in both the Senate and the
68 House of Representatives.
69 (4) This rule does not create a private right of action.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel