Redistricting committee meets Thursday
Alison Patton
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The first meeting of Gov. Mike Kehoe’s special session starts Thursday at noon with the special redistricting committee.
This committee will hear testimonies from the public on House Bill 1, and then go into executive session right after to discuss the proposed legislation, committee chair Richard West (R-Wentzville) said Wednesday.
The meeting will proceed despite the NAACP’s attempts to stop the session with a temporary restraining order, according to previous ABC 17 reporting. The organization argues it’s illegal to redistrict outside of the 10-year census.
Republicans claim the Missouri First Map splits fewer counties, but Democrats argue the new map would dilute Democratic votes.
The Missouri First Map would expand the Fifth District, which is primarily Kansas City’s district, to also include portions of Boone County north and west of Columbia.
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City) filed her own proposed map on Thursday. That proposal keeps the Fifth Congressional District within the Kansas City area. Audrain, Boone, Cole and Miller counties would mark the westernmost counties of the Third Congressional District, stretching west to St. Charles County.
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee met Thursday morning to breakdown the intentions of the map.
“Despite overwhelming opposition from the people, Missouri Republicans are proposing a congressional map that would split apart the state’s most populous city and turn the Show-Me state into one of the most egregiously gerrymandered states in the country,” said John Bisognano, president of the NDRC.
The election committee will discuss initiative petition reform Thursday at 1 p.m. to take up House Joint Resolution 3.
Several proposed legislations have been submitted regarding initiative petition reform.
Check back for updates.