Public Act 096-1541
 
SB3976 EnrolledLRB096 24463 HLH 44167 b

    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
Article 5. ILLINOIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 2011

 
    Section 5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011. All references in this
Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 5-5. Redistricting.
    (a) In any redistricting plan pursuant to Article IV,
Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution, Legislative Districts
and Representative Districts shall be drawn, subject to
subsection (d) of this Section, to create crossover districts,
coalition districts, or influence districts. The requirements
imposed by this Article are in addition and subordinate to any
requirements or obligations imposed by the United States
Constitution, any federal law regarding redistricting
Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, including
but not limited to the federal Voting Rights Act, and the
Illinois Constitution.
    (b) The phrase "crossover district" means a district where
a racial minority or language minority constitutes less than a
majority of the voting-age population but where this minority,
at least potentially, is large enough to elect the candidate of
its choice with help from voters who are members of the
majority and who cross over to support the minority's preferred
candidate. The phrase "coalition district" means a district
where more than one group of racial minorities or language
minorities may form a coalition to elect the candidate of the
coalition's choice. The phrase "influence district" means a
district where a racial minority or language minority can
influence the outcome of an election even if its preferred
candidate cannot be elected.
    (c) For purposes of this Act, the phrase "racial minorities
or language minorities", in either the singular or the plural,
means the same class of voters who are members of a race,
color, or language minority group receiving protection under
the federal Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973; 42 U.S.C. §
1973b(f)(2); 42 U.S.C. § 1973aa-1a(e).
    (d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed, applied, or
implemented in a way that imposes any requirement or obligation
that conflicts with the United States Constitution, any federal
law regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or
Representative Districts, including but not limited to the
federal Voting Rights Act, or the Illinois Constitution.
    (e) In the event of a violation of this Act, the
redistricting plan shall be redrawn to the least extent
necessary to remedy the violation.
 
Article 10. REDISTRICTING TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION ACT

 
    Section 10-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Redistricting Transparency and Public Participation Act. All
references in this Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 10-5. Committees; notices; hearings; public
participation. In the year following each federal decennial
census year, the Senate and House of Representatives shall each
establish a committee, or the Senate and House of
Representatives may create by joint resolution a joint
committee of both chambers, to consider proposals to redistrict
the Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, as
applicable. After the receipt of the federal decennial census
data from the federal government, each committee or joint
committee must conduct at least 4 public hearings statewide to
receive testimony and inform the public on the applicable
existing Districts, with one hearing held in each of 4 distinct
geographic regions of the State determined by the respective
committee. All hearings shall be open to the public. The
Chairperson of each committee or the Co-Chairpersons of a joint
committee, as applicable, shall, no later than 6 days before
any proposed hearing, post a notice with the Secretary of the
Senate, Clerk of the House, or both, as applicable. The notice
shall identify any measure and subject matter that may be
considered during that hearing. The notice shall contain the
day, hour, and place of the hearing.
 
Article 99. EFFECTIVE DATE

 
    Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 03/07/2011