House committee advances constitutional amendment to create bipartisan redistricting commission

The House Elections, Finance and Government Operations Committee on Monday voted 6-5 to recommend passage of House File 550, a constitutional amendment proposal to create a bipartisan, eight-member redistricting commission and refer the measure to the state government finance committee.

Representative Paul Torkelson, the bill’s author, told the committee the amendment “is a constitutional amendment, pretty simple in nature, and it sets up a redistricting commission that is bipartisan, evenly divided, and recognizes the political nature of the work of redistricting.” He said the change is intended to reduce the likelihood that the courts ultimately draw Minnesota’s legislative maps in future cycles.

The vote came after the committee approved an A1 author’s amendment that Rep. Torkelson said clarifies appointment language to account for unusual circumstances such as ties in party leadership. The committee adopted the A1 amendment by voice vote before taking the roll-call recommendation on the bill as amended.

Why it matters: The proposal would change Minnesota’s constitution to create a permanent, bipartisan commission to draw legislative districts, shifting the default from the existing legislative-driven process that in past decades has repeatedly ended up with court intervention. Supporters said the measure would improve transparency and public trust; opponents said HF550 leaves key conflicts of interest and design flaws unaddressed.

Supporters’ arguments and testimony Brian Cook, director of taxes, fiscal policy and elections at the…