Bill > SR6

This Resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution to establish a Citizens' Redistricting Commission for legislative and congressional reapportionment, taking this responsibility away from the General Assembly. The commission would consist of 14 members: five identified with the party that received the most votes for Governor, five with the party that received the second most votes, and four unaffiliated with any party. Members must be registered voters who have resided in Georgia for at least five years, voted in the last three statewide elections, and have no recent conflicts of interest such as holding or running for office, working for political parties or campaigns, or being a registered lobbyist. The selection process involves applications reviewed by retired judges, with the final commission members chosen through a combination of random drawing and appointment by the initial appointees, aiming for diversity and impartiality. The commission's duties include creating proposed redistricting plans for congressional and state legislative districts, holding public hearings, and ensuring districts are contiguous, compact, maintain communities of interest, follow political boundaries where possible, and are not drawn to favor or disfavor any political party or incumbent, nor to deny minority voting rights. These plans would then be submitted to the General Assembly for approval or rejection, with the possibility of the commission revising them if rejected, or the General Assembly drawing its own plan if the commission's revised plan is also rejected. The resolution also outlines the process for submitting this proposed amendment to the voters for ratification.