HB164 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Marcel Black

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Redistricting, establishing temporary independent redistricting commissions to reapportion state legislative and State Board of Education districts, Secs. 29-2-51, 29-2-52 am'd.

Summary

The bill creates a temporary redistricting commission to draw Alabama's state legislative and State Board of Education districts after each U.S. census, with rules to promote impartiality and support from the existing reapportionment committee.

What This Bill Does

If passed, a five-member redistricting commission would be formed to draw state legislative and State Board of Education district boundaries. Members are appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore, the House Speaker, and the Senate and House minority leaders, with a fifth chair chosen by the four appointees; no more than two commissioners may reside in the same county. The commission must follow criteria such as constitutional and Voting Rights Act compliance, roughly equal population, geographic compactness, and respect for communities of interest, using visible geographic features where practicable. There is a public draft-map process with at least 30 days for public comment, and legislators or Board members may not influence the commission. The Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment would provide data, maps, and technical assistance as needed, and districts created by the commission would take effect only after being enacted into law, with the commission terminating after the first general election that uses its districts.

Who It Affects

• State legislators and members of the State Board of Education would be restricted from contacting or influencing the redistricting commission, and their district planning would be governed by the commission’s process.
• Alabama voters and residents would experience new state legislative and State Board of Education districts after each census, with access to draft maps and a public comment period.

Key Provisions

• Creates a five-member redistricting commission appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore, the House Speaker, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader, with a fourth member chosen as chair by a majority vote of the four appointees.
• Limits commissioners to no more than two residents from the same county; requires each to be a registered voter with at least three years of continuous registration and to avoid recent political offices or party positions.
• Prohibits state legislators and State Board of Education members from contacting or influencing redistricting commission members.
• Sets districting criteria: conformity with the Constitution and Voting Rights Act, equal population to the extent practicable, geographic compactness and contiguity, respect for communities of interest, and use of visible geographic features when possible.
• Requires public release of a draft map with at least 30 days for public comment; comments from lawmakers or Board members are not accepted.
• Districts drawn by the commission become effective only once enacted into law; the commission automatically terminates after the first general election in which its districts are used.
• The Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment must provide data, maps, and technical assistance to the redistricting commission as needed.
• The commission must conduct business with at least three affirmative votes and hold meetings open to the public with 48 hours notice.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Redistricting