HR 1173 IH

To provide that States may use redistricting systems for Congressional districts other than single-member districts.

March 17, 1999

Mr. WATT of North Carolina (for himself, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. LEE, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. DAVIS of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

To provide that States may use redistricting systems for Congressional districts other than single-member districts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `States' Choice of Voting Systems Act'.

SEC. 2. RIGHT OF STATES TO CHOOSE DISTRICTING SYSTEMS.

The Act entitled `An Act for the relief of Doctor Ricardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for congressional redistricting', approved December 14, 1967 (2 U.S.C. 2c), is amended by striking `In each State' and all that follows and inserting the following:

`SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING.

`In each State entitled in the One Hundred Eighth Congress or in any Congress thereafter to more than one Representative in Congress under an apportionment made pursuant to the provisions of section 22(a) of the Act of June 18, 1929 (ch. 28; 46 Stat. 26)--

`(1) there may be established by law a number of districts equal to the number of Representatives to which such State is so entitled and Representatives may be elected only from single-member districts so established, or

`(2) such State may establish a number of districts for election of Representatives that is less than the number of Representatives to which the State is entitled and Representatives may be elected from single-member districts, multi-member districts, or a combination of single-member and multi-member districts, if that State uses a system that meets the constitutional standard that each voter should have equal voting power and does not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.).'.

END