SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – This week, the Senate Committee on Redistricting convened its first hearing in Chicago to receive testimony from witnesses on Illinois’ redistricting process, and the state’s history of gerrymandering legislative and congressional districts. Lawmakers heard testimony from a panel of experts who provided background on the federal census process and a historical perspective of redistricting in Illinois.

Notably, former State Senator and former Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch provided information on the 1970 Constitutional Convention, where the current system of drawing legislative districts was established. A 1970 Constitutional Convention delegate, Netsch explained that the “coin flip” process used to select the tie-breaking member of the legislative redistricting commission was intended to force compromise among legislative leaders, and noted that the convention delegates never expected the tie-breaker to be used. Though delegates did not expect legislative leaders to allow their livelihood to come down to a coin flip, Netsch commented that the drafters misunderstood the political backbone and gambling nature of politicians. She also indicated that it was her belief that Illinois’ redistricting system is “broken” and that there is a need for reform, recommending Illinois devise a fair process that allows independent input, provides equality and produces a fair map that will restore voter confidence in their state leaders.

Professor Paul Green of Roosevelt University expressed similar criticisms of the current process used to draw legislative district maps in Illinois, saying that the process is “tarnished,” and noting that a tarnished process cannot produce an untarnished product. Similarly, when asked to rank how well Illinois draws its maps, Green gave Illinois a “four or five” out of a scale of one to ten. The Professor, like many other legislative experts, agreed that Illinois must do a better job of removing politics from the redistricting process.

There have been several measures advanced that would make much-needed changes to Illinois’ redistricting process. Despite differences between the plans, most if not all proposals call for an autonomous, non-political entity to draw the district boundaries using computer technology to remove politics from the process. Numerous states – including Arizona, Hawaii and New Jersey – have independent, non-partisan commissions determine the new borders. Illinois, however, is among the states that give politicians the power to redraw the map. 

Critics charge the current system allows partisan considerations to come into play when districts are drawn. One state legislative district, which is 110 miles long, runs from the Metropolitan St. Louis area to Central Illinois and is only eight miles wide at its narrowest.

The Committee is expected to continue meeting in several other Illinois communities, including Peoria on Aug. 19, Carbondale on Sept. 16 and Springfield on Oct. 14. 

Also during the week, the Governor signed several measures of interest to Illinois veterans and their families. 

SB 2046 (PA 96-0101) allows employers to give qualified veterans a tax credit of up to $1,200.

SB 206 (PA 96-0096) creates a Task Force to determine what would be an appropriate percentage goal for the state to award contracts to disabled veterans.

HB 1122 (PA 96-0085) creates the Illinois Jobs for Veterans Task Force to determine if military training received by veterans could satisfy any state professional licensure requirements.  

HB 849 (PA 96-0083) allows members of the National Guard and Army Reserves to count time in training or service school attendance towards municipal veterans’ preference points, if they have been deployed.

HB 3787 (PA 96-0089) establishes that when a school bus driver who is a member of the Armed Forces is called to active duty, the Secretary of State must list the permit as inactive until the permit is renewed.

In addition, the Governor recently signed Senate Bill 1461 (PA 96-0076), sponsored by Senator Larry Bomke (R-Springfield), which rewards $100 to Illinois veterans who served on active duty in the Iraq and Afghan wars. 

###