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Friday, January 27, 2006

Ind. Law - Redistricting bill passed House, future in Senate cloudy

Yesterday the Louisville Courier Journal had a story (see ILB entry here) headlined "Garton pans redistricting bill: Senate leader says change not needed." Today the LCJ reports, in a story by Lesley Stedman Weidenbener, that the bill (HB 1009) has passed the House. Some quotes:

Voting largely along party lines yesterday, the Republican-controlled House approved a bill that would create a bipartisan commission to draw legislative district maps after each 10-year census.

House Bill 1009 requires lawmakers to vote on the commission's recommendation, but its supporters say it would still take the politics out of redistricting. * * *

HB 1009 requires the commission to create districts based on population and compactness, with an emphasis on keeping communities within one district where possible.

The five-member commission would have one appointee each from party leaders in the House and Senate. The chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court would appoint the chairman.

Democrats say the commission would violate the Indiana Constitution, which calls on lawmakers to handle redistricting. Also, the involvement of the chief justice could cause a conflict if the maps are the subject of a lawsuit, said Rep. Ed Mahern, D-Indianapolis.

Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said this week that he's not enthused about the legislation.

Niki Kelly reports in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
Partisan beliefs coursed through a debate Thursday evening about whether the state should move the task of drawing political districts to a bipartisan commission, a concept endorsed 54-43 by the House.

The vote was bipartisan, with three Democrats supporting the plan, which would set up a Republican-controlled commission for the foreseeable future. All northeast Indiana’s Republican members voted “yes,” as did Rep. Win Moses, D-Fort Wayne. Rep. Ben GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, voted “no.” * * *

Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said Wednesday he is “not enthused” about the prospect of turning over the task to a commission. “Politics is still going to play a part no matter what kind of commission you appoint,” he said.

Some supporters have said the change would make some of the state’s legislative races more competitive because they would not be drawn in such a way as to protect incumbents.

But Garton questions how much more competitive the House races could be, noting the chamber has tied twice and in recent years control has been decided by a maximum three- or four-seat spread.

He said that through the years in both the House and Senate different parties have drawn the maps and the opposite party has gained control during that decade on several occasions. “It swings back and forth, back and forth,” Garton said.

"Bipartisan commission would draw maps beginning in 2011" is the headline to this story in the Indianapolis Star by Mary Beth Schneider. Some quotes:
House Speaker Brian C. Bosma, R-Indianapolis, told lawmakers nothing they do this session will have greater long-term impact on the state than reforming the way legislative districts are drawn. "There is little this body does that's more important than drawing legislative maps," he said.

He and other lawmakers said the maps drawn by both parties in the past were designed to protect political power rather than to provide fair representation in logically shaped districts. "When you look at the bizarre shape of the districts, you can see just how stilted the process is," Bosma said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 27, 2006 08:51 AM
Posted to Indiana Law