Virginia House Democrats today reiterated their call for a full floor vote to amend the Commonwealth’s constitution to create a nonpartisan redistricting commission.
Six proposed constitutional amendments on redistricting were opened for public comment in a subcommittee this morning. According to House Rules, the Rules Committee can send a bill directly to the floor for a full vote “without specific recommendation.” The procedure has been used several times in the past on matters deemed by the Speaker of the House to be of great public importance. In a January 13, 2017 letter sent to Speaker William J. Howell, House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano requested that proposed constitutional amendments on redistricting be brought directly to the floor.
“We now have six proposed constitutional amendments on redistricting being heard in the House Privileges and Elections Constitutional Subcommittee today,” said Toscano. “These measures deserve to be sent directly to the floor for a full vote. Virginians want to know where we stand, and killing these bills in a subcommittee would deny them that knowledge. The only way our citizens will know where we stand is by having a full debate and vote on the floor of the House of Delegates.”
“The system for electing our leaders forms the very core of government,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Charniele Herring. “Seventy-four percent of Virginians support giving control of redistricting to an independent board, and they deserve to know where their leaders stand on this fundamental issue of the franchise. We look forward to the Speaker’s response.”
Without further action from the Speaker, the measures will be voted on by the Privileges and Election Constitutional Subcommittee on Jan. 30.
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