(Madison) State Assembly Republicans want to move forward with redistricting reform by handing control of drawing maps to a non-partisan group. The Legislative Audit Bureau would be in charge of map drawing, and send those maps for a vote at the Capitol. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says the bill does not change the process of final map approval.
“If the legislature and the governor can’t agree to a map, it goes to the court and they’ve drawn it either in federal court or in state court. So that’s already part of the process. You don’t have to say what’s already obvious,” says Vos.
Assembly Minority leader Greta Neubauer says Vos and Republicans are trying to mask efforts to oust newly elected Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.
“No amount of hand waving will make the public forget that the GOP is considering nullifying their votes and overriding the results of the last election,” says Neubauer.
State Representative Mark Born, who voted in favor of the bill, says the state is experiencing extreme hostility in politics and mounting costs related to redistricting. The Beaver Dam Republican adds that now is the time to implement a system which has worked in Iowa for 40 years, that keeps the process designated to the Legislature as required under the Constitution while taking the animosity and distrust out of the process.
The bill will head to the State Senate. Republicans there have not signaled support for the plan, so it’s unclear when they might take up the measure.
–WRN contributed
