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California AB 801 — County of San Diego Citizens Redistricting Commission (2017)
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redistricting procedures |
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2020 |
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AB 801 was introduced in the California State Legislature during the 2017 general legislative session and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown (D) on October 12, 2017. AB 801 expanded the independent redistricting commission in the county of San Diego from five members and two alternates to 14 members and no alternates. The bill also introduced restrictions on commission membership with the stated intention of eliminating conflicts of interest by prohibiting commission members from running for public office or serving as paid staff or consultants for lobbyists in the state.
Note: This page summarizes a noteworthy law regarding redistricting in California. It is not part of a comprehensive list of redistricting legislation for this year or state.
Background
Redistricting in California
- See also: Redistricting in California
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of California's 52 United States Representatives and 120 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[1][2][3][4]
California was apportioned 52 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one fewer than it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in California after the 2020 census.
Legislative history
AB 801 was introduced to the California State Assembly on February 15, 2017. The bill had three authors: Shirley Weber (D), Todd Gloria (D), and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D). The bill proceeded to the Committee on Local Governments on April 5, 2017, where it passed in a vote of 5-2. The bill was referred to the Committee on Appropriations on April 27, 2017, where it passed by a vote of 6-3. The bill was then passed by the Assembly by a vote of 53-23 on May 31, 2017. On June 28, 2017, the Government and Finance Committee of the California State Senate voted 5-2 to recommend the bill and re-referred it to the Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments. This committee passed the bill by a vote of 3-1 on July 12, 2017, and the bill was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which passed the bill 5-2 on September 1, 2017. After a third reading in the Senate, the bill passed in a vote of 23-14 on September 12, 2017. It was then returned in an amended form to the Assembly, which passed the amended bill 53-25 on September 14, 2017. On September 25, 2017, the bill was presented to Governor Jerry Brown. Governor Brown signed the bill into law on October 12, 2017.[5]
Provisions
AB 801 introduced changes to the existing independent redistricting commission in the county of San Diego, expanding the commission and modifying its rules. The law mandated that a commission be formed by December 31, 2020, and every ten years thereafter. The existing law stipulated that the commission comprise five members and two alternate members. AB 801 expanded the commission to 14 members with no alternates. The bill also revised the selection process to include the following restrictions:[6]
- Applicant must be a resident of San Diego County
- Applicant must have been continuously registered in the county with the same political party preference (or no party preference) for at least five years
- Applicant must have voted in at least one of the last three statewide elections
- Neither the applicant nor any immediate family member may have done the following within 10 years preceding the application:
- Held or run for public office representing the county
- Been an employee or consultant of an elected representative or candidate
- Served on a political party's central committee
- Been a registered lobbyist for any level of government
AB 801 amended Section 21551 of the California Election Code to specify that members serve until the appointment of the next commission. Section 21552 was amended to specify that the commission shall establish single-member supervisory districts for the election board to comply with the state's redistricting laws.[6]
AB 801 also amended Section 21553 of the California Election Code to restrict a member of the commission from holding or running for public office, being an employee of an elected official, or registering as a lobbyist for a period of five years following their appointment.[6]
See also
- Redistricting in California
- Redistricting legislation at the state and city levels in the United States, 2017
- California State Legislature
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ California State Legislature, "AB-801 County of San Diego Citizens Redistricting Commission Bill History," accessed November 22, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 California State Legislature, "AB-801 County of San Diego Citizens Redistricting Commission," accessed November 22, 2017
