Amendment 1 http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+sum+HJ542Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. Appointments to the 13-member Commission are to be made in the census year as follows: two each by the President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Delegates, minority leader in each house, and the state chairman of each of the two political parties receiving the most votes in the prior gubernatorial election. The 12 partisan members then select the thirteenth member by a majority vote; or, if they cannot agree on a selection, they certify the two names receiving the most votes to the Supreme Court, which will name the thirteenth member. The Commission is directed to certify district plans for the General Assembly within one month of receipt of the new census data or by March 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later, and for the House of Representatives within three months of receipt or by May 1 of the year following the census, whichever is later. The plans shall be effective for the next regular general election for the Senate, House of Delegates, or House of Representatives. Members in office when a new plan is certified complete their terms and continue to represent the district as constituted when they were elected. The standards to govern redistricting plans include the current Constitution's standards on population equality, compactness, and contiguity and additional standards to minimize splits of localities and to prohibit consideration of incumbency and political data. The amendments also provide for 40 senators and 100 delegates rather than the present ranges of 33 to 40 senators and 90 to 100 delegates.
Amendment 2 http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+sum+HJ698Establishes the Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries after each decennial census. Appointments to the five-member Commission are to be made in the census year from a pool of 25 nominees selected by the Supreme Court. Appointments are made from the pool as follows: one each by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the minority leader in each house. The four members appointed then select the fifth member and Commission chair by a majority vote; or, if they cannot agree, the Supreme Court shall name the fifth member. The standards to govern redistricting plans include population equality, compactness, contiguity, communities of interest, political fairness and the disregard of incumbency. The amendments also provide for 40 senators and 100 delegates rather than the present ranges of 33 to 40 senators and 90 to 100 delegates.
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