Comm No 0015.01 - Testimony - Art I - XVI - General Discussion - Proposed Amendments

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2. Amend Section 3-17 "County Redistricting Commission" as follows: (a) There shall be a county redistricting commission which shall establish the boundaries of the council districts. (b) The initial redistricting commission shall consist of seven members, two of whom shall be residents of the combined judicial districts of North and South Hilo, one from the judicial district of Puna, one from the judicial district of Ka'u, one from the combined judicial districts of North and South Kona, one from the combined judicial districts of North and South Kohala, and one from the judicial district of Hamakua. The members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council in the manner prescribed in Section 13- 4. (c) Each subsequent redistricting commission shall consist of nine members. One member shall be a resident of each council district as established by the previous redistricting commission. The members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council in the manner prescribed in Section 13-4. (d) The year 1991 and every tenth year thereafter shall be redistricting years. The redistricting commission shall be appointed and confirmed by July 1 of the year immediately preceding the redistricting year, and shall file a redistricting plan with the county clerk by December 31 of the redistricting year. A report shall be filed with the redistricting plan providing an explanation of the commission's reasoning for the plan and how the plan complies with the criteria provided in subsection (g). The redistricting commission shall be dissolved after the filing of the redistricting plan. (e) Prior to completing a draft of the redistricting plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing in each of the nine council districts East Hawaii and in West Hawaii. Upon completion of a draft redistricting plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing in cast Hawai`i and one in west Hawai`i. each of the nine council districts. (f) The county clerk shall furnish all necessary technical and secretarial services for the redistricting commission. The council shall appropriate necessary funds to enable the commission to carry out its duties. (g) The redistricting commission shall adhere to the following criteria in establishing the boundaries of the council districts: (1) No district shall be drawn to unduly favor or penalize a person orpolitical faction; (2) Insofar as possible, districts should be contiguous and compact; (3) District lines shall, where possible, follow permanent and easily recognizable features; (4) Districts shall have approximately equal resident populations as required by applicable constitutional provisions. (h) If at the final meeting of the Commission, in the event there is an objection by any Commissioner or by any person who testified as a resident of the County or on behalf of a resident or entity with a place of business in the County of Hawaii, that the Commission's proposed final district map is drawn in a manner to favor or penalize a particular person, political faction, or current council member, the commission shall schedule an additional meeting to address the objection with notice to the public at least 7 days in advance of the meeting. In the event the Commission determines that a district boundary is designed to favor or penalize a particular person, political faction, or current council member, that district boundary shall be adjusted to avoid favoring or penalizing the person or a faction. 3