Democrats offer redistricting plan

Sacramento Bee ^ | 6/29/5 | Jim Sanders

[SmithL]

Senate Democrats unveiled their own plan Tuesday to overhaul California's system of drawing political boundaries, legislation that would compete with an all-or-nothing initiative on the Nov. 8 special election ballot.

Both proposals target the state's once-a-decade redistricting by the Legislature, which has produced so few competitive districts that none of 153 California congressional or legislative seats at stake last year changed party hands.

A key difference, however, is that the new Senate proposal would begin redistricting in 2011 - after the next federal census - while the ballot initiative calls for lines to be redrawn immediately.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing redistricting as part of his government overhaul package. He has not set a deadline but wants new boundaries drawn as soon as possible.

"The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office - not the interests of those who put them there," he said in his State of the State speech in January.

Schwarzenegger took no position Tuesday on the new proposal, SCA 3, which would apply to boundaries for legislative, congressional and Board of Equalization races.

Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said the new measure is meant to spur negotiations with the Governor's Office.

"This is the beginning, it's not the end," Perata said.

The new bill, amended from a prior version, also would ban the Senate or Assembly from adjourning for summer recess before passing a state budget and require lawmakers to hold two town hall meetings a year.

SCA 3 could not take effect unless approved by California voters.

A public hearing on SCA 3 is planned today by the Senate Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee.

[SmithL]

Democrat Dirty Tricks Department