Redistricting Reform Act of 2007

H.R. 2248, the Redistricting Reform Act of 2007, proposes a uniform national standard for how states draw their congressional district boundaries. The bill would require each state to establish an independent, bipartisan redistricting commission to create map plans, rather than allowing state legislatures to control the process.

For citizens, this bill aims to reduce "gerrymandering" by prohibiting states from redistricting more than once every ten years unless ordered by a court to comply with the Constitution or the Voting Rights Act. By shifting the power to draw maps from partisan politicians to independent commissions, the legislation seeks to ensure that congressional districts more accurately reflect the population and that voters have a more direct influence on the electoral process. If a state legislature fails to enact a commission's plan, the responsibility would fall to the courts to select a map that meets federal requirements.