Assembly committee approves ACA 8 to send mid‑decade congressional map question to voters if other states gerrymander

The Assembly Elections Committee voted 5-2 on Aug. 19 to advance Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8, sending the measure toward the ballot and setting up a possible Nov. 4, 2025 special election for California voters.

ACA 8 would allow California to temporarily adopt the congressional district lines contained in AB 604 if another state — cited repeatedly during the hearing as Texas — enacts partisan mid‑decade redistricting before the 2030 census. The amendment requires voter approval before any map would take effect.

Assemblymember Phil Berman, presenting ACA 8 on behalf of Speaker Rivas and other leaders, said the measure is a direct response to what he described as a national campaign to “redraw congressional districts mid‑decade in an effort to rig the upcoming election.” “Americans and Californians deserve better,” Berman said, and “California voters will have the final say” on any temporary maps.

Supporters from labor and education…