AB 145

Currently, within 60 days after the decennial population count, by block,

becomes available from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, but no later than July 1 of

each year following the year of the census, each county board of supervisors must

submit to each municipality having territory in the county a tentative supervisory

district plan or a description of boundary requirements for such a plan. Within 60

days after the receipt of this information from the county board of each county in

which a municipality is located, each municipality having a population of 1,000 or

more must adopt or readjust wards in accordance with statutory population

parameters. In enacting or adopting its plan, a municipality must make a good faith

effort to reflect the county's requirements in enacting a supervisory district plan.

Within 60 days after every municipality having territory within a county enacts or

adopts a ward division plan, the county must enact a final supervisory district plan

combining contiguous whole wards to form supervisory districts.

This bill shortens the maximum time period specified for action at each of the

above stages of the redistricting process to 45 days. The bill also provides that upon

enactment or adoption of a municipal ward division plan, the clerk of a municipality

must submit a certified copy of the plan to the appropriate standing committees of

the legislature. If, within 45 days of the receipt of the plan, the legislature enacts

a law making changes to the wards within a municipality, the municipality must

incorporate the changes into its ward division plan, which then takes effect. If,

within 45 days of the receipt of the plan, the legislature does not enact a law making

changes to the wards within the municipality, the municipal ward division plan

takes effect as submitted. In addition, the bill provides that upon enactment or

adoption of a final county supervisory district plan, an aldermanic district plan or an

election district plan in a school district serving a first class city (Milwaukee), the

county, city, or school district clerk must submit a certified copy of the plan to the

appropriate standing committees of the legislature. If, within 30 days of receipt of

the plan, the legislature enacts a law making changes in the supervisory, aldermanic,

or election districts, the county, city, or school district must incorporate the changes

into its plan, which then takes effect. If, within 30 days of receipt of the plan, the

legislature does not enact a law making changes to the supervisory, aldermanic, or

election districts within the plan, the plan takes effect as submitted. Because the

legislature has inherent authority to establish municipal wards or to change ward

boundaries as a part of a congressional or legislative redistricting plan, the bill does

not preclude the legislature from making other changes in municipal ward

boundaries as a part of such a plan.