Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Redistricting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LR311CA would create independent redistricting commission; supporters urge stronger transparency and limits on legislative control
Summary
Sen. John Cavanaugh introduced LR311CA to send an independent redistricting commission amendment to the ballot; supporters including the League of Women Voters and Common Cause backed the idea while urging changes such as removing legislative approval of final maps, adding pre‑map hearings, and including communities of interest as criteria.
Senator John Cavanaugh (District 9) introduced LR311CA, a proposed constitutional amendment that would place before voters a plan to create an independent redistricting commission responsible for drawing legislative maps.
Cavanaugh said the amendment aims to prevent elected officials from drawing districts that entrench partisan advantage. "I brought this amendment because I firmly believe that voters should choose their elected representatives, not the other way around," he said. Under the version presented, the commission would prepare maps after the decennial census and submit them to the Legislature, which could accept or reject the maps; rejected maps would return to the commission for revision.
Support testimony emphasized independence, transparency and procedural improvements. Sherry Saint Clair of the League of Women Voters of Nebraska said independent commissions are used in many states and urged a membership reflecting government diversity and prohibiting political insiders. Gavin Geis, Nebraska state director for Common Cause, supported LR311CA but recommended stronger protections: let the commission certify maps directly to the secretary of state without legislative approval, remove legislative selection of commissioners, require pre‑map community hearings, include communities of interest as a mapping criterion, and conduct partisan analyses before finalization.
Committee members asked how commission members would be selected and whether the commission model would remove political influence. Cavanaugh said the amendment contains eligibility restrictions and membership balance (examples include limits on recent political activity) designed to limit conflicts of interest while allowing for a cross‑section of viewpoints. He acknowledged no perfect system exists but said the goal is to reduce elected officials' ability to choose their voters.
The clerk recorded 30 proponents and 60 opponents in written submissions. Supporters argued LR311CA would increase public confidence and transparency; critics (based on the number of opponents in the record) raised concerns the amendment would create unelected decision‑makers and questioned details of appointment and oversight. The executive board concluded the hearing; no final action was taken at this meeting.
