SF 3813

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/27/2018 08:55am

A bill for an act
relating to redistricting; proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a
redistricting commission to adopt congressional and legislative district boundaries
following each federal decennial census.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
new text end

new text begin An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment
is adopted, article IV, section 3, will read:
new text end

Sec. 3.

deleted text begin At its first session after each enumeration of the inhabitants of this state made
by the authority of the United States, the legislature shall have the power to prescribe the
bounds of congressional and legislative districts. deleted text end Senators shall be chosen by single districts
of convenient contiguous territory. No representative district shall be divided in the formation
of a senate district. The senate districts shall be numbered in a regular series.

new text begin By March 1 of the year following a federal decennial census, a redistricting commission
shall adopt boundaries of congressional and legislative districts, in accordance with the
principles and requirements established by this section.
new text end

new text begin The commission consists of five retired judges of the appellate or district courts of this
state who have not served in a party-designated or party-endorsed position, such as a
legislator. The majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker
of the house, and the minority leader of the house of representatives shall each appoint one
retired judge, after consulting with each other in an effort to attain geographic balance in
their appointments. If an appointing authority fails to make an appointment by the deadline,
the chief justice of the Supreme Court must appoint a retired judge to fill the position no
later than March 8 of that year.
new text end

new text begin After all four appointments have been made, the chief justice of the Supreme Court shall
convene a meeting of the four judges no later than March 15 of that year, at which meeting
the appointed judges shall, by a vote of at least three judges, appoint a fifth judge. The five
judges shall select one of their number to serve as chair of the commission.
new text end

new text begin In performing their duties, the members of the commission shall abide by the Code of
Judicial Conduct and are considered judicial officers within the meaning provided by law,
and must be compensated for their commission activity as provided by law.
new text end

new text begin The commission shall adopt a schedule for interested persons to submit proposed plans
to the commission and to respond to plans proposed by others. The commission shall adopt
principles to govern the creation and format of plans submitted to it. The commission shall
hold at least three public hearings in different geographical regions of the state before
adopting its plans.
new text end

new text begin No later than December 31 of the year following a federal decennial census, the
commission must, by majority vote, adopt new districting plans for legislative and
congressional districts. The plans adopted by the commission must take effect beginning
at the next state general election, and remain in effect until new plans are adopted by a
commission constituted following the next federal decennial census.
new text end

new text begin The commission appointed after each federal decennial census expires when both
legislative and congressional redistricting plans have been adopted.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
new text end

new text begin The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2018 general election.
The question submitted must be:
new text end

new text begin "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to remove the ability of legislators to
enact legislative and congressional redistricting plans, and instead establish a commission
of five retired judges to independently adopt redistricting plans after each federal decennial
census?
new text end

	new text begin Yes . new text end
	new text begin No . new text end	new text begin " new text end