Gaetz: Redistricting Could Reach Senate Floor after King Holiday

Revised Florida congressional and Senate redistricting maps released Friday will go before Senate committees on Jan. 11, 2012.

Reapportionment Committee Chairman Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, informed members of the committee that the bills containing the proposed once-a-decade redistricted maps are currently on schedule to be heard by the Senate on Jan. 17, after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

That is a full two months earlier than floor votes in the Senate 10 years ago, Gaetz wrote in a memo to the committee. The fact that we are this far along in the process at this point in time is a direct result of the hard work each and every member of our committee has put forth, and I thank you for that.

View the staff analysis for SJR 1176, which is related to the proposed legislative districts, here.

View the staff analysis for SB 1174, the proposed congressional districts, here.

Under an agreement, the Senate will work on the new lines that will be proposed by the House for new House districts. The House will concentrate on the new lines that the Senate proposes for Senate districts.

Both chambers will still have to work out a compromise for the congressional lines.

Gaetz noted that the revised maps are based upon comments received during the Dec. 6 committee meetings and from the public since that time.

Staff has also refined the lines to be more consistent with federal and state law, Gaetz wrote.