Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) introduced the Redistricting Transparency and Accountability Act (H.R. 5921), legislation that would require public participation in congressional redistricting plans.
The Redistricting Transparency and Accountability Act would “apply with respect to any congressional redistricting which occurs after the regular decennial census conducted during 2030.”
The Act would require that “any congressional redistricting conducted by a State” would need to “be conducted in accordance with a process under which” the “State redistricting entity”:
- “establishes and operates an internet site”;
- “provides opportunities for participation by members of the public in the initial development of such plans”; and
- “notifies members of the public regarding the proposed final congressional redistricting plan and provides opportunities for members of the public to respond to the plan.”
Subordinates of such a redistricting entity would be subject to the same requirements.
The Act could not “be construed to prohibit a State from conducting congressional redistricting in accordance with such procedures as the State considers appropriate, to the extent that such procedures are consistent with the applicable requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act.”
H.R. 5921 would not affect redistricting for state or local elections.
Section 3 of the bill lays out all the requirements for the public website, timelines and rules for public comments, etc. Section 4 requires public hearings and other avenues for public participation in the initial development of Congressional redistricting plans. Section 5 sets notification requirements and how the public would need to be allowed to respond to plans.
“If a State is ordered by a court to revise its congressional redistricting plan for conducting redistricting pursuant to the regular decennial census conducted during 2020, and the State has not enacted such a final congressional redistricting plan as of the date of the enactment of this Act, this Act and the amendments made by this Act” would “apply with respect to congressional redistricting in the State which is conducted pursuant to the regular decennial census conducted during 2020, except that—
- the state would “establish the internet site described in section 3 as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act”; and
- “the State redistricting entity” would need to “begin to solicit the input of members of the public under section 4(b) not later than 30 days after the court issues the order to the State or such earlier deadline as the court may require under the order.”
H.R. 5921 has 3 cosponsors. It has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The sponsor, Rep. Ross, issued a press release.
