HF 1018 Summary

• Creates a five-member Redistricting Advisory Commission consisting of retired judges appointed by legislative leaders by January 15 of each year ending in one, with a fifth judge selected by the four appointed judges.

• Commission must submit legislative and congressional redistricting plans to the legislature by April 30, with a accompanying report; legislature intends to vote on plans with only corrective amendments allowed, and can submit up to three plans if initial plans are rejected.

• Establishes 13 districting principles prioritized in order: population equality, minority representation, contiguity and compactness, political subdivision preservation, communities of interest, prior district cores, no partisan intent, no incumbent targeting, electoral competition, proportionality, and specific numbering requirements.

• Legislative districts must have populations deviating no more than one percent from the ideal; congressional districts must be as nearly equal as practicable.

• Legislative Coordinating Commission must provide administrative support, maintain geographic databases using U.S. Census block data, publish detailed reports on plan characteristics including population equality, minority voting age population, compactness measures, and political partisan effects.