97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1393

 

Introduced , by Rep. Mike Fortner

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011. Provides that Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall be drawn to create majority-minority districts, crossover districts, coalition districts, or influence districts. Defines "majority-minority district", "crossover district", "coalition district", and "influence district". Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed, applied, or implemented in a way that imposes any requirement or obligation that conflicts with the United States Constitution, any federal law regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, or the Illinois Constitution. Provides that, if there is a violation of the Act, the redistricting plan shall be redrawn to the least extent necessary to remedy the violation. Creates the Redistricting Transparency and Public Participation Act. In the year following each federal decennial census year, provides for the Senate and House of Representatives to each establish a committee, or to establish a joint committee, to consider proposals to redistrict the Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, as applicable. Provides for notices and hearings. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4
Article 5. ILLINOIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 2011

 
5    Section 5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
6Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011. All references in this
7Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
8    Section 5-5. Redistricting.
9    (a) In any redistricting plan pursuant to Article IV,
10Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution, Legislative Districts
11and Representative Districts shall be drawn, subject to
12subsection (d) of this Section, to create majority-minority
13districts, crossover districts, coalition districts, or
14influence districts. The number of majority-minority districts
15created throughout the entire redistricting plan for a specific
16racial minority or language minority shall be substantially
17proportional to the total population of the respective racial
18minority or language minority within the State. Legislative and
19Representative Districts shall not be drawn with the intent or
20effect of dispersing or concentrating racial or language
21minority populations in a manner that prevents a racial
22minority or language minority from electing its candidates of

 

 

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1choice. The requirements imposed by this Article are in
2addition and subordinate to any requirements or obligations
3imposed by the United States Constitution, any federal law
4regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or
5Representative Districts, including but not limited to the
6federal Voting Rights Act, and the Illinois Constitution.
7    (b) The phrase "crossover district" means a district where
8a racial minority or language minority constitutes less than a
9majority of the voting-age population but where this minority,
10at least potentially, is large enough to elect the candidate of
11its choice with help from voters who are members of the
12majority and who cross over to support the minority's preferred
13candidate. The phrase "coalition district" means a district
14where more than one group of racial minorities or language
15minorities may form a coalition to elect the candidate of the
16coalition's choice. The phrase "influence district" means a
17district where a racial minority or language minority can
18influence the outcome of an election even if its preferred
19candidate cannot be elected. The phrase "majority-minority
20district" means a district where a racial minority or language
21minority compose a numerical majority of the voting-age
22population and are able to elect a candidate of their choice.
23    (c) For purposes of this Act, the phrase "racial minorities
24or language minorities", in either the singular or the plural,
25means the same class of voters who are members of a race,
26color, or language minority group receiving protection under

 

 

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1the federal Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973; 42 U.S.C. §
21973b(f)(2); 42 U.S.C. § 1973aa-1a(e).
3    (d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed, applied, or
4implemented in a way that imposes any requirement or obligation
5that conflicts with the United States Constitution, any federal
6law regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or
7Representative Districts, including but not limited to the
8federal Voting Rights Act, or the Illinois Constitution.
9    (e) In the event of a violation of this Act, the
10redistricting plan shall be redrawn to the least extent
11necessary to remedy the violation.
 
12
Article 10. REDISTRICTING TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC
13
PARTICIPATION ACT

 
14    Section 10-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
15Redistricting Transparency and Public Participation Act. All
16references in this Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
17    Section 10-5. Committees; notices; hearings; public
18participation. In the year following each federal decennial
19census year, the Senate and House of Representatives shall each
20establish a committee, or the Senate and House of
21Representatives may create by joint resolution a joint
22committee of both chambers, to consider proposals to redistrict
23the Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, as

 

 

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1applicable. Within 3 days after receipt of the data from the
2United States Census Bureau, the committee shall make that
3data, together with redistricting software, available to the
4public. Each committee or joint committee must conduct at least
54 public hearings on separate days around 4 distinct geographic
6regions of the State. At least 3 of the hearings shall be after
7receipt of the data from the United States Census Bureau. All
8hearings shall be open to the public. The Chairperson of each
9committee or the Co-Chairpersons of a joint committee, as
10applicable, shall, no later than 6 days before any proposed
11hearing, post a notice with the Secretary of the Senate, Clerk
12of the House, or both, as applicable. The notice shall identify
13any proposed redistricting plan and subject matter that may be
14considered during that hearing. The notice shall contain the
15day, hour, and place of the hearing. Prior to voting on any
16proposed redistricting plan, each committee or joint committee
17shall hold at least 4 public hearings on the proposed
18redistricting plan on separate days around 4 distinct
19geographic regions of the State. At least 7 days prior to those
204 public hearings, the committee or joint committee shall make
21available to the public any proposed redistricting plan,
22including a detailed map showing all Legislative and
23Representative Districts established under the plan and
24statistics demonstrating the total population of each District
25and voting age population of any racial minority or language
26minority within each District.
 

 

 

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1
Article 99. EFFECTIVE DATE

 
2    Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.