Bonnie Cox, President
Hilary Denk and Heather Cunningham, Issues Co-Chairs
Paula Lawson and Jane Ballengee, Redistricting Issues Specialists
RE: Fair Maps Redistricting Amendment -
Senate Bill SJRCA26 and House Bill HJRCA43
April 18th is LWVIL Lobby Day and Fair Maps Amendment Lobby Day
ACTION NEEDED by April 18th:
- Call your State Senator and ask him/her to support and become a co-sponsor of SJRCA26.
- Ask your State Representative to support and become a co-sponsor of HJRCA43
- Fill out a Witness Slip as a "Proponent" of SJRCA26. (There will be a Subject Matter Hearing before the Subcommittee on Special Issues (EX) Committee on April 18th at 3 pm.)
Key targets
to ask for co-sponsorship of the Redistricting Amendment are Representatives: Welsh, G. Harris, Flowers, K. Burke, Fortner, Mayfield, Yingling, Pritchard, Lilly, DeLuca, Gordon-Booth; Senators: Munoz, Connelly, Castro, McConchie, Bush, McConnaughay, Syverson, Weaver, Brady, Tracy, Rose, Barickamn.
These are targeted legislators but all of them need to hear from their constituents.
HOW TO FILE A WITNESS SLIP:
- Copy and paste this link into the address bar to file the witness slip directly: Identification Section: http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create?committeeHearingId=15860&legislationId=0&legislationdocumentid=0
- Under Section I, fill in your identification information (under business you can enter "N/A", "self")
- Under Section II, write "self." DO NOT enter a local or state league name. According to LWVIL protocol, ONLY the president may submit on behalf of the League.
- In Section III, Click on Select Subject Matter. Click on SJRCA26. Select Proponent.
- In Section IV, select "Record of Appearance Only.
- Agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement
- Submit by clicking on Create (Slip)
WHY IT MATTERS:
These bills are Constitutional Amendments :
- Establishes an independent redistricting commission that must be demographically, politically, and geographically representative of our state to draw our Congressional and General Assembly maps.
- Removes politicians and sitting legislators from drawing their own districts.
- Adds sunlight and transparency by requiring the release of all communications made by the Commission as well as any data used to create and propose any and all maps
- Gives the public the opportunity to participate in the process by requiring at least 30 public hearings on the maps before a final vote is taken.
- Establishes criteria for drawing the maps, after compliance with the US Constitution and federal laws and equality in population, to provide racial minorities and language minorities with the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice.
There is a short timeline for Amendment Approval
. It needs to pass both houses by a 3/5's vote by May 6. The House will be in session until April 27 and then takes a break. The Senate will be in session until May 3.
Rep. Ryan Spain plans to file a
Discharge Petition in the House to get HJRCA43 out of the Rules Committee to be referred to the Elections Committee. Rep. Spain will also be requesting unanimous consent on the floor. This is a very
positive, but
difficult step to accomplish.
