Congressional districts must be reapportioned as follows. [1995, c. 360, §1 (AMD).]
1.Procedure.
In 1993 and every 10 years thereafter, when the Secretary of State has received notification of the number of congressional
seats to which the State is entitled and the Federal Decennial Census population count is final, the Legislative Apportionment
Commission, established every 10 years pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A, shall review
the existing congressional districts. If the districts do not conform to Supreme Judicial Court guidelines, the commission
shall reapportion the State into congressional districts.
In making such a reapportionment, the commission shall ensure that each congressional district is formed of compact and contiguous
territory and crosses political subdivisions the least number of times necessary to establish districts as equally populated
as possible. The commission shall submit its plan to the Clerk of the House of Representatives no later than 120 calendar
days after the convening of the Legislature in which apportionment is required. The Legislature shall enact the submitted
plan of the commission or a plan of its own in regular or special session by a vote of 2/3 of the members of each house within
30 calendar days after the plan is submitted to the Clerk of the House of Representatives. This action is subject to the
Governor's approval, as provided in the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 2.
[
1993, c. 628, §2 (NEW)
.]
2.Court apportionment.
If the Legislature fails to make an apportionment within 120 calendar days of the convening of the session in which apportionment
is required, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment within 60 days following the period in which the Legislature
is required to act but fails to do so. In making the apportionment, the Supreme Judicial Court shall take into consideration
plans and briefs filed by the public with the court during the first 30 days of the period in which the court is required
to apportion.
[
1993, c. 628, §2 (NEW)
.]
3.Judicial review.
The Supreme Judicial Court has original jurisdiction to hear any challenge to an apportionment law enacted by the Legislature,
as registered by any citizen or group of citizens. If a challenge is sustained, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the
apportionment.
[
1993, c. 628, §2 (NEW)
.]
SECTION HISTORY
1993, c. 628, §2 (NEW).
1995, c. 360, §1 (AMD).
Data for this page extracted on 10/16/2012 08:26:59.