Bill > SB304

This bill aims to improve the transparency and fairness of the redistricting process in New Mexico. The key provisions are: 1. The Secretary of State must collect and publicly provide geographic information system (GIS) data for each voting district in the state, updating the data when district boundaries change. 2. The bill creates a Citizen Redistricting Committee to develop district plans for congressional, state legislative, and other state offices. The committee members must meet certain non-partisan criteria and are tasked with drawing districts based on population equality, communities of interest, and other traditional redistricting principles, while prohibiting the use of partisan data. 3. The committee's proposed district plans must go through public hearings and comment periods before being submitted to the legislature for consideration. The legislature must select from the committee's plans. 4. The bill also amends the Precinct Boundary Adjustment Act to clarify timelines and requirements for local governments to adjust precinct boundaries in coordination with the state's redistricting process. Overall, the bill aims to make the redistricting process more transparent, non-partisan, and focused on keeping communities together, rather than drawing districts for political advantage.

Government Affairs, Health and Social Services

https://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislation.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=B&legno=304&year=21