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* Sen. Kwame Raoul’s proposed constitutional amendment to change the remap process is up for a subject matter only hearing today. But he told me this morning that he intends to call it for a vote…
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution concerning the decennial redistricting of Legislative and Representative Districts. Provides that the Senate, by resolution, instead of “the General Assembly by law”, shall divide the Legislative Districts into 3 groups for the determination of terms of office. Eliminates the requirement that Legislative Districts be divided into 2 Representative Districts. Provides criteria for creating districts. Provides for the General Assembly to redistrict Legislative and Representative Districts by law by June 20. If that fails, provides for the Senate to redistrict Legislative Districts and the House to redistrict Representative Districts, each by resolution adopted by three-fifths of the members elected. If no resolution is adopted by July 20, provides for a Senate or House Redistricting Commission to redistrict by August 20. If that fails, provides for a Special Master. If that fails or a bill, resolution, or plan is invalidated, the General Assembly may redistrict by law. Requires hearings and allows for the public to submit plans. Further proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution concerning the decennial redistricting of Congressional Districts. Provides criteria for creating districts. Provides for the General Assembly to redistrict Congressional Districts by law by June 20. If that fails, provides for a Special Master. If that fails or a bill or plan is invalidated, the General Assembly may redistrict by law. Requires hearings and allows for the public to submit plans. Effective upon being declared adopted.
The “criss-cross” is an age-old play. The House passes one version of a reform, while the Senate passes another. Members in both chambers claim they voted for a reform, but nothing ever gets done.
This isn’t the first time Sen. Raoul has pushed this particular remap reform idea. It failed in the House by a single vote a while back, mainly because of GOP opposition. Because of the Jack Franks proposal and the Independent Maps petition drive, I doubt the GOP will climb on board this time, either.
Raoul told me he “doesn’t like” Rep. Franks’ proposal. I’m hearing he wants to kill the Franks proposal, but this will all be up to Senate President John Cullerton, a big fan of partisan redistricting.
Ugh!
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 10:47 am
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Ugh ugh ugh.
Sen Raoul earned an ‘A’ this morning for his work on criminal justice reform.
He earns an ‘F’ on this.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 10:54 am
I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football and the Illinois Legislature is Lucy.
Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:00 am
And we expect different from this body? Let’s just keep our expectations as low as possible and avoid that disappointing feeling. At least we got a canoe. Oh, maybe that could be the new phrase for whenever there appears to be a glimmer on the horizon only to be dashed by the same old political games. “At least we got a canoe”
Comment by Nick Danger Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:04 am
This is why the Independent Maps effort is still relevant.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:21 am
Changes in the manner in which legislative and representative districts are drawn are not critical, so time can be taken to vet different scenarios. Not a big deal. But my opinion is to call them changes, not reforms. Reform has the connotation that the change is a) necessary and b) better than what went before. “Better” is a moving target and depends on who feels they have won or lost. And “necessary,” I am not sure changes are that.
Comment by My New Handle Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:26 am
===so time can be taken to vet different scenarios===
What time? The House has to pass a proposal this week.
Also, too, perhaps you didn’t notice that there are about 600,000 petition signatures on a remap amendment push.
Again, what time?
Also, please don’t bother with a semantics argument. Ridiculous.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:27 am
So why is he scuttling this? Wouldn’t this give Rauner a victory? Don’t we want confidence building measures? I’m not understanding the play being made here. Could someone explain or give a theory?
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:33 am
Kwame might be missing more than a paycheck this week. He’s missing a clue too. Of course, he’s the very definition of “legislatively safe”, so he’s likely taking one for the team. Question is; the ‘team’ has a coach and one player. Any more?
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 11:50 am
I am one of those 600,000 signatures, but I don’t understand changing the way maps are decided as being critical or urgent. The House Dems did okay under a Republican-drawn map, save for two years.
Comment by My New Handle Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:26 pm
== I don’t understand changing the way maps are decided as being critical or urgent. ==
The window to put CA’s on the November election is closing now.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:31 pm
@Honeybear - two birds with one stone?
Drive attention to remap reform, and term limits become a forgotten discussion. Then scuttle the remap effort after Independent Maps drops their guard on the citizen initiative.
No pressure and no reform on two issues for the price of one?
Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:44 pm
This “Special Master” sounds both creepy and extraordinarily undemocratic. It is basically a redistricting dictator who gets to do all the heavy work with zero political consequences because he is not an elected official. It’s a “Get Out of Jail Free” card for the GA and for the ruling party when it doesn’t have the votes to pass a new map.
No accountability. No democratic mandate. No way in hell.
Comment by The Man on 6 Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:45 pm
Thanks FKA. I get it now. I’m still new on the tactics of the GA.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:56 pm
It might be coincidental, but the two for one strategy could only be done this way.
Term limits are a simpler issue for voters to understand than the remap, and harder to tangle up in a process debate. The two for one only works if you drive everyone to the remap effort. There may be better theories though, @Honeybear.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 12:58 pm
Rauner’s react will be interesting. Remapping reform might have been his biggest lever to force the union-busting changes. He might not want to have it snatched from him yet.
A criss-cross, plus a third party distraction, could have blown inside the superstar ooda-loop.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 1:12 pm
=== Rauner’s react will be interesting. Remapping reform might have been his biggest lever to force the union-busting changes. He might not want to have it snatched from him yet. ===
walker, do you really think so? I would have placed it as one of the possible items the Dems could have agreed to for an item(s) on their agenda. No poison pills.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:56 pm
The Man on 6 -
“Special Master” may be a creepy-sounding term, but Franks’ proposal is even less democratic, since it has the Supreme Court naming people to a commission right off the bat, without even giving the people’s elected representatives in the GA a crack at it. In the Raoul plan, the Special Master only comes into play if three other approaches have failed.
Comment by Commander Norton Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 6:02 pm