Preparation of legislative and congressional districting plans by Legislative Reference Bureau

Constitution and requirements under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The bill then directs the LRB to draw redistricting plans for submission to the legislature for approval in accordance with the standards. Under the bill, no later than January 1 of the second year following the decennial federal census, the LRB must deliver to the majority leader of the senate and speaker of the assembly identical bills embodying a plan of legislative and congressional districting.

The bill requires either the assembly or the senate to expeditiously introduce and bring a bill to a vote not less than seven days after the date of introduction. The vote must be under a procedure or rule permitting no amendments, except those of a purely corrective nature. If a bill is approved by the first house in which it is considered, the bill must expeditiously be brought to a vote in the second house under a similar procedure or rule.

If neither of the bills delivered by the LRB is approved by the assembly and the senate, the LRB must then prepare identical bills embodying a second plan of legislative and congressional redistricting. The LRB must deliver the bill to the majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than 21 days after the date of the vote by which the senate or assembly failed to approve the first bill. This second bill must be expeditiously introduced and brought to a vote not less than seven days after the date of introduction, in the same manner as prescribed for the initial bill.

If the second bill is not approved by the assembly and the senate, the same procedure applies for the preparation of a third plan by the LRB and legislative consideration of a third plan. The bill does not provide any procedure for the preparation and submission of a fourth plan by the LRB. It is important to note that the procedure established under the bill for legislative consideration of any legislative or congressional districting plan is a rule of proceeding under the Wisconsin Constitution and, as such, would not be legally enforceable in a court of law if the assembly or senate failed to follow the procedure.