To require any entity established to develop congressional redistricting plans for a State to hold public hearings at which individuals who are members of communities of interest have a meaningful opportunity to express their views on proposed redistricting plans, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-hr-7948
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2022-06-03
Policy area: Congress
Latest action: action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-06-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill requires any entity other than the legislature of a state that develops a congressional redistricting plan for a state, including an independent redistricting commission, to</p> <ul> <li>hold multiple public hearings prior to the development of a final plan,</li> <li>ensure that individuals may attend such hearings virtually,</li> <li>hold such hearings in locations which are within a reasonable distance of the locations of communities of interest, and</li> <li>ensure that members of communities of interest have meaningful opportunities to express their views on any of the entity's plans. </li> </ul> <p>For purposes of this bill, <em>communities of interest</em> may include political subdivisions such as counties, municipalities, tribal lands and reservations, or school districts, but shall not include common relationships with political parties or political candidates.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7948 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 3, 2022 Mr. Torres of New York (for himself and Mr. Jeffries ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To require any entity established to develop congressional redistricting plans for a State to hold public hearings at which individuals who are members of communities of interest have a meaningful opportunity to express their views on proposed redistricting plans, and for other purposes.

1. Requiring entities established to develop congressional redistricting plans to hold public hearings (a) Requirement Any entity other than the legislature of a State, including an independent redistricting commission, a special master appointed by a Federal or State court, or a Federal or State court, which develops a congressional redistricting plan for a State shall— (1) hold multiple public hearings prior to the development of a final plan; (2) ensure that individuals may attend such hearings virtually; (3) hold such hearings in locations which are within a reasonable distance of the locations of communities of interest; and (4) ensure that members of communities of interest have meaningful opportunities to express their views on any of the entity’s plans. (b) Treatment of political subdivisions as communities of interest For purposes of this Act, the term communities of interest may, in certain circumstances, include political subdivisions such as counties, municipalities, tribal lands and reservations, or school districts, but shall not include common relationships with political parties or political candidates. (c) Enforcement (1) Action by Attorney General The Attorney General may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to carry out this Act. (2) Private right of action A person who is aggrieved by a violation of this Act may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as may be appropriate with respect to the violation. (d) Effective date This Act shall apply with respect to redistricting carried out pursuant to the decennial census conducted during 2030 or any succeeding decennial census.