Ga. legislators begin court-mandated redrawing of maps
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Georgia legislators return to the Gold Dome on Wednesday to draw new Congressional, House and Senate district boundaries after a federal judge ruled the current maps violated the Voting Rights Act.
Why it matters: The judge wrote in the ruling that the maps adopted by the Republican-led legislature caused "significant harm" to Black residents "whose voting rights have been injured by the violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act."
The latest: The House Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting will hold a hearing at 1pm on the proposed state House district maps, which were released Tuesday, at the General Assembly. The hearing will also be livestreamed.
- The public is also allowed to submit feedback on the committee's website.
A proposed State Senate map released Monday by Republicans would create two majority-Black districts in metro Atlanta without drawing incumbents into the same post, according to the AJC.
- The AJC reports two Atlanta Democrats, Sens. Jason Esteves and Elana Parent, who have a majority-white constituency, would be placed into majority-Black districts if approved.
- The proposed boundaries increase the number of majority-Black districts from 13 to 15, the outlet says.
Catch up quick: U.S. District Court Judge Steve C. Jones ruled last month that five Congressional districts were in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
- The ruling also determined the lines for several Senate and House districts violate the act, which went into effect in 1965 and prohibits racial discrimination in voting and electoral matters.
The judge ordered lawmakers to carve out:
- Another majority-Black Congressional district in west-metro Atlanta;
- Two majority-Black Senate and two majority-Black House districts on the southside of metro Atlanta;
- Another majority-Black House district in the west metro area;
- And two majority-Black House districts in the Bibb County area.
Threat level: Georgia's session comes several days after a federal appeals court struck down a key provision used to enforce the Voting Rights Act, potentially setting up another fight over the landmark law before the U.S. Supreme Court, Axios' Eugene Scott reports.
- The panel ruled that only the Department of Justice, not people or organizations, can challenge state policies they say violate the law.
The big picture: Judges have ordered Republican-led legislatures in several states, including Alabama and Louisiana, to redraw maps that don't reduce the voting power of minorities, Scott reports.
What we're watching: The legislature has until Dec. 8 to draw new boundaries that comply with the act.