Illinois State Senate District 54 issued the following announcement on Sept. 17.
State Senator Jason Plummer (54th), today, called for Senate Democrat leadership and the Governor to help advance a Fair Map Constitutional Amendment in the fall Veto Session. Currently, a bipartisan group of 37 Senators have signed on to sponsor Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4. The amendment would pave the way for independently drawn legislative maps and allow citizens to weigh in on the redistricting process.
"Career politicians in Illinois have mastered the art of disenfranchising voters to the benefit of themselves and their partisan interests," said Plummer. "Unfortunately, despite a veto-proof number of co-sponsors, SJRCA 4 has yet to be called for a vote. I am urging Democrat leadership to release it out of committee and give power back to the people of this great state."
SJRCA 4 has been sitting in the Senate Assignments Committee since January 30, 2019. Fall Veto Session is scheduled for October 28-30th and November 12-14th. With a supermajority in both chambers, Democrats control what legislation gets called for a vote.
By law, every ten years, Illinois' General Assembly and Congressional district maps are redrawn. The Illinois State Constitution requires the General Assembly to agree on a redistricting plan to be voted on by both chambers.
Under current law, it is a winner-take-all system with a Democrat majority in control. This system gives one party too much power and the ability to shift and draw district lines to create an advantage for their respective party and members. The result is "gerrymandered" districts that are oddly shaped, do not fairly represent all citizens and communities, and are uncompetitive at election time, taking away the will of the people.
"We need to take the power to draw these lines from the career politicians," said Plummer. “Both parties have been guilty of this abuse, only when we have a Fair Map Constitutional Amendment will voters and citizens have a say in the process. We must get back to competitive elections and restore trust in the legislative process."
Original source can be found here.
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