Recently-filed HB-69 appears to have bipartisan support to create an independent Redistricting Committee in North Carolina.
In light of the recent problems our State has had, on both Federal and state levels, I personally support this bill in principle...and I have had a look at the filed bill...and mostly support it.
It has not yet gone through any committee for review/amendment, which is where this bill will take more shape, so I will be following this as a concerned citizen, as well as a Precinct Chair — on behalf of all of the people of our Precinct (WCDP Precinct 10-02)
So....this is my understanding of the basics of the bill as it stands now. The bill would create an independent commission, composed of four Democrats, four Republicans, and 3 members who would be unaffiliated with either of the two major parties (they could be Greens, Libertarians, Constitution Party members, Independents, etc.)
The Party leadership of both major Parties in the NC General Assembly would submit up to ten candidates for the pool from which the Board members would be selected. Either Party's leadership can propose UNA/Ind members as well as members of their own party.
The proposed members could not be any current elected or appointed official (or candidate for same.) Additionally, no member of any Party's Executive Committee can be considered if that person's service was any time in the last five years...and would be ineligible for such service for five years after their service on this Board were completed.
Additionally, no registered lobbyist may be considered an eligible candidate, nor any who has been so registered for up to five years prior to selection. Members of this Board would serve four year terms, and no more than three terms in a lifetime….as currently written and filed.
Then the Office of the Auditor, led by Beth Wood, currently, would select the eleven members from this pool of twenty proposed candidates (10 from each party.)
The bill requires a minimum of 21 public hearings, conducted across the State, before the Board could propose any maps, and at least 10 public hearings after such proposal is released before the full body of the NC General Assembly would then vote on the proposed maps.
This Board appears to have the power to draw maps for both Federal as well as State Districts.
The bill also outlines criteria by which these maps should be drawn which mostly seem very reasonable and fair, including compactness, as well as shortest perimeter (which requires a fairly uniform and regular shape) as well as the closeness of population of all the Districts...and also mandates where possible, following existing political boundaries, such as town and County lines.
My only concern for this bill, as currently written...would be that it seems to preclude the possibility of deliberately creating any majority-minority District...which I believe is not any longer required under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, since the Supreme Court ruling in 2013 which gutted the VRA. It would seem if this requirement of the VRA were still in place or to be reinstated, then this Board would be required to comply with it.
So....barring any major amendments that alter what is currently presented, this seems as good a plan as we are likely to get, and far better than what we have at the moment. So I personally support it for now, and I will be following it, and keeping you all updated.
Meanwhile, you can follow the bill's progress here:
https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2019/H69
The actual text of the bill, for interest is here:
https://webservices.ncleg.net/ViewBillDocum…/…/DRH30032-BK-2