BSB/3/12
Sponsored by Edie Chapman, Valentina Vilches of Franklin High School
This legislation was filed in the Correction category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1: |
| 4 | The terms in this act will be defined as follows: |
| 5 | Gerrymandering - The drawing of boundaries for political districts by the party in power to protect |
| 6 | or increase its power. |
| 7 | Commission - A group of people officially charged with a particular function. |
| 8 | Contiguity - The state of bordering or being in direct contact with something. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Section 2: |
| 11 | An independent redistricting commission shall be established to oversee the redrawing of electoral |
| 12 | district boundaries. |
| 13 | The commission shall consist of non-partisan members selected through a transparent and |
| 14 | inclusive process, ensuring representation from diverse communities and backgrounds. |
| 15 | Members of the commission shall not hold any elected office or have any significant political |
| 16 | affiliations for a period of at least five years prior to their appointment. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Section 3: |
| 19 | The commission shall prioritize the following criteria when redrawing district boundaries: |
| 20 | Geographic compactness |
| 21 | Contiguity |
| 22 | Preservation of communities of interest |
| 23 | Fair and equal representation of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, race, ethnicity, or |
| 24 | socioeconomic status. |
| 25 | The commission shall prohibit the use of demographic data related to political affiliation or voting |
| 26 | history in the redistricting process. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Section 4: |
| 29 | The commission shall conduct all redistricting proceedings in a transparent manner, allowing for |
| 30 | public observation and input throughout the process. |
| 31 | The commission shall hold public hearings in various regions of the state to solicit feedback from |
| 32 | citizens regarding proposed district maps. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Section 5: |
| 35 | Members of the commission shall be prohibited from considering the political consequences or |
| 36 | potential electoral outcomes when drawing district boundaries. |
| 37 | Any attempt by commission members to unduly influence the redistricting process for partisan |
| 38 | gain shall be subject to investigation and disciplinary action. |
| 39 | |
| 40 | Section 6: |
| 41 | Adequate funding shall be allocated to support the operations of the independent redistricting |
| 42 | commission and ensure the successful implementation of this act. |
| 43 | |
| 44 | Section 7: |
| 45 | All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this are hereby repealed. |
| 46 | If any provision of this act is found to be unconstitutional or invalid, such finding shall not affect |
| 47 | the validity of the remaining provisions of the act. |
| 48 | |
| 49 | Section 8: |
| 50 | This act shall take effect immediately upon passage. |
| 51 | The commission shall complete the redistricting process in time for the next scheduled election |
| 52 | cycle. |
| 53 |