HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE OFFERING A PLAN TO DRAW NEW LEGISLAIVE DISTRICTS IN ILLINOIS.
BASED ON THE 2020 CENSUS DATA, NEW LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES WILL BE SET ACROSS THE STATE THIS YEAR. REPRESENTATIVE TIM BUTLER OF SPRINGFIELD SAYS THEY WANT AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO BE CHARGED WITH THE TASK INSTEAD OF LAWMAKERS. HE SAYS THIS WILL ENSURE THE DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN FAIRLY AND NOT JUST TO GIVE ONE POLITICAL PARTY AN ADVANTAGE.
EVERY 10 YEARS, A NEW LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARY MAP IS DRAWN BY LAWMAKERS BASED ON THE LATEST CENSUS DATA. IT'S NOT A FAIR PROCESS SAYS REPRESENTATIVE RYAN SPAIN OF PEORIA.
UNDER THE HOUSE G-O-P PROPOSAL, THE COMMISSION WOULD BE MADE UP OF 11 MEMBERS. SEVEN WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE THE NEW MAP AND PUBLIC HEARINGS WOULD BE HELD TO KEEP THE PROCESS TRANSPARENT.