When adopting or reviewing congressional districts, prior law prohibited courts from considering political factors concerning the outcome of an election. This prohibition is repealed.

Prior law directed courts, when adopting or reviewing congressional districts, to utilize certain criteria in a specified order of preference. Under the act, courts are required to consider population equality and compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and may consider the following factors, without weighting any factor:

• Preservation of political subdivisions;
• Preservation of communities of interest;
• Compactness; and Minimization of the disruption of prior district lines.

APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2010          EFFECTIVE August 11, 2010

View Bill: H.B. 10-1408 PDF