Florida Legislature’s redistricting effort ends in failure; what’s next?

After the State Supreme Court said Florida’s thirteenth Congressional was one of several to be redrawn, Republican Congressman David Jolly announced he would not run for re-election.

Jenne has proposed redistricting be taken away from the legislature and given to an independent commission.

That same proposal, coincidentally, also edges Ross out of his own district by moving the line so Ross’ residence lies just outside of it.

Unfortunately, when the Legislature uses inconsistent methodology or principles that afford benefits to some regions to the detriment of others, we open ourselves up to the exact type of criticism and adverse decisions that we have received in the past from the Florida Supreme Court.

Lee, a Brandon Republican, has said his only interest was bolstering eastern Hillsborough’s representation in Congress, and not in furthering any political ambition of his.

Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said the House will convene at 11 a.m.to consider the extension. The Senate map should not be considered flawed because senators made changes.

And yet they didn’t get it done.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The Legislature is still divided on the last day of a special session to redraw congressional districts. Now the court will decide. When it’s redrawn, Jolly’s district is expected to lean Democratic.

If legislators can’t agree on a new map then the job of drawing a new map could fall to the Florida Supreme Court.

Under a court schedule, lawmakers had agreed to finalize a plan by next Tuesday. Republican leaders denied that feud carried over into this special session.

The court ruled in July that the current districts violated a voter-approved constitutional amendment that requires districts be compact and not drawn to benefit a political party or incumbents. “It was my goal that it meet the requirements of the Fair Districts constitutional amendment while keeping as much of leon county in one district”.

The dispute between the two chambers centered on the Senate’s desire to shift district lines in Central Florida, a move that the House did not believe would stand up to the court’s scrutiny.

The redistricting matter first goes back to a Tallahassee trial judge, who will hold an evidentiary hearing beginning on September 24, and finishing no later than September 28.