CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING - S.B. 811: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 811 (as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Senator Thaddeus G. McCotter
Committee: Reapportionment
CONTENT
The bill would create a new act to specify that the Supreme Court would have original and exclusive State jurisdiction to hear and decide any case or controversy involving a congressional redistricting plan.
Upon the application of an elector filed within 60 days after the enactment of a congressional redistricting plan, the Supreme Court could review the plan and modify it or remand the plan to a special master for further action if the plan failed to comply with the Congressional Redistricting Act.
Unless legislation enacting a congressional redistricting plan were approved by the deadline established in the Congressional Redistricting Act, a political party or a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, on or after November 1 immediately following that deadline, could petition the Supreme Court to prepare a redistricting plan in compliance with that Act.
If an application or petition for review were filed, the Court would have to:
-- Undertake the preparation of a redistricting plan for congressional districts.
-- Appoint and use a special master or masters as the Court considered necessary.
-- Provide, by order, for the submission of proposed redistricting plans by political parties and other interested persons who had been allowed to intervene. (Political parties would have to be granted intervention as of right.)
-- After hearing oral argument or appointing special masters, propose one plan for consideration of the parties and the public, and make that plan available for public inspection at least 30 days before the time set for hearing.
-- Prescribe the procedure and deadlines for filing objections and rebuttal to the proposed plan in advance of the hearing.
-- Hold a hearing on the proposed plan by March 1 immediately after the deadline established in the Congressional Redistricting Act.
-- After making any revisions to the proposed plan that the Court considered necessary, order a congressional redistricting plan by March 31 immediately after the deadline set in the Congressional Redistricting Act.
- Legislative Analyst: S. Lowe
FISCAL IMPACT
Statutorily providing for the jurisdiction and process for the Supreme Court regarding congressional redistricting would result in administrative savings.
Date Completed: 10-27-99 - Fiscal Analyst: B. Bowermanfloor\sb811 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.