Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HJRCA0012

LRB104 06485 SPS 16521 e

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0012

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. John M. Cabello

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 3

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall preserve the political subdivisions and communities of interest of this State. Provides that an Apportionment Commission (rather than the General Assembly) shall redistrict the Legislative Districts and the Representative Districts. Provides that the Commission shall consist of one member from each county in this State, appointed by a majority vote of the respective county boards. Sets forth prohibitions on the information a public body that determines the borders of Legislative Districts, Representative Districts, or voting districts of any other unit of local government may consider when determining the boundaries of voting districts.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to amend Article IV of the Illinois Constitution by changing Section 3 as follows:

ARTICLE IV

THE LEGISLATURE

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 3) SECTION 3. LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING

(a) Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall be compact and , contiguous. For the purposes of this Section, "compact" means having the minimum distance between all parts of a district, such as a circle, square, or hexagon. For the purposes of this Section, "contiguous" means that all parts of a district are connected at some point with the rest of the district and substantially equal in population. Representative Districts shall be compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population.

Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall preserve the political subdivisions of this State. The boundaries of a Legislative District or Representative District shall not cross the boundaries of a county, village, city, town, or township.

Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall preserve communities of common interest in this State. The boundaries of a Legislative District or Representative District shall not separate neighborhoods or other areas where the residents of that area have common interests that do not necessarily coincide with the boundaries of a political subdivision.

(b) In the year following each Federal decennial census year, an Apportionment Commission the General Assembly by law shall redistrict the Legislative Districts and the Representative Districts.

The Apportionment If no redistricting plan becomes effective by June 30 of that year, a Legislative Redistricting Commission shall be constituted not later than July 10. The Commission shall consist of one member from each county in this State, appointed by a majority vote of the respective county boards eight members, no more than four of whom shall be members of the same political party.

The Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint to the Commission one Representative and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly. The President and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each appoint to the Commission one Senator and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly.

The members of the Commission shall be certified to the Secretary of State by the appointing authorities. A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled within five days by the authority that made the original appointment. A Chairman and Vice Chairman shall be chosen by a majority of all members of the Commission.

Not later than August 10, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by a majority of its at least five members.

If the Commission fails to file an approved redistricting plan, the Supreme Court shall submit the names of two persons, not of the same political party, to the Secretary of State not later than September 1.

Not later than September 5, the Secretary of State publicly shall draw by random selection the name of one of the two persons to serve as a the ninth member of the Commission.

Not later than October 5, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by at least five members.

An approved redistricting plan filed with the Secretary of State shall be presumed valid, shall have the force and effect of law and shall be published promptly by the Secretary of State.

The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General.

(c) No public body that determines the borders of Legislative Districts, Representative Districts, or voting districts of any other unit of local government shall preserve the political subdivisions of this State.

No public body that determines the borders of Legislative Districts, Representative Districts, or voting districts of any other unit of local government shall use partisan data or rely on recommendations derived in any part from partisan data or use election results, voting history political party registration, or any other socioeconomic data.

No public body that determines the borders of Legislative Districts, Representative Districts, or voting districts of any other unit of local government shall consider the places of residence of incumbent office holders or candidates for public office or favor or disfavor an incumbent office holder, candidate for public office, or political party, except that the boundaries of a voting district shall avoid placing multiple incumbent office holders in the same voting district.

To the extent practicable, a public body that determines the borders of Legislative Districts, Representative Districts, or voting districts of any other unit of local government shall favor competitive voting districts and avoid the creation of voting districts that favor a particular political party or coalition when doing so does not violate any other provision of this Section.

(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.)

SCHEDULE

This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act.