Bill > ACR60

This Concurrent Resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to change the membership and process of the Apportionment Commission, which is responsible for drawing legislative districts in New Jersey after each decennial census. The amendment would increase the commission's size from ten to thirteen members, with a new independent member appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and a shift in appointment power from party chairs to legislative leaders. It mandates a more transparent process, including public hearings, a dedicated website for public input and information, and public comment periods at commission meetings. Crucially, the amendment establishes new standards for district composition, requiring that districts be drawn to ensure fair representation of voter preferences, with at least 25% of districts being "competitive" (meaning they favor one of the two major parties by no more than five percentage points), and that "communities of interest" (groups of people with shared concerns) are preserved within districts, all while adhering to federal law and existing constitutional requirements regarding contiguous territory and municipal divisions.