Virginia House Democratic leadership blocked an effort to establish an independent redistricting commission via a constitutional amendment after refusing to schedule the House resolution for a vote by Thursday’s deadline.
Democrats supported the resolution last year when they were in the minority, but they now hold a majority of seats in both chambers.
The amendment would alter the current redistricting process, which allows the General Assembly to rewrite the district lines. Critics say this gives too much power to the majority party. The bipartisan commission would be comprised of 16 members, including lawmakers and residents.
Last year, when Republicans held the majority in the House and Senate, both chambers passed the amendment with bipartisan support. To pass an amendment, Virginia law requires that identical resolutions pass the House of Delegates and the Senate by a simple majority two years in a row, then be placed on the ballot in the form of a referendum.
Although Senate Democrats continued to support the amendment after gaining control of the General Assembly, it lost the support of some Democrats. House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, instead put her support behind House Bill 1256, which would create a similar commission, but would not have the permanency of a constitutional amendment. That bill passed the House on Feb. 11, 54-45.
The Senate passed an identical resolution to the one that the House blocked with support from both parties. House Democrats still could act on this bill, but they have not yet scheduled it for a committee hearing.
House and Senate Republicans support an amendment.
