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Introduced Version House Bill 4118 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted

H. B. 4118

 

         (By Delegates Kump, Folk and Canterbury)

         [Introduced January 9, 2014; referred to the

         Committee on Political Subdivisions then the Judiciary.]

 

 

 

 

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §1-2-1a, relating to the redistricting of the Senate into thirty four single senatorial districts beginning in 2018 based on the 2010 census.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §1-2-1a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. APPORTIONMENT OF REPRESENTATION.

§1-2-1a. Redistricting of senatorial districts.

    (a) The Legislature finds that:

    (1) Single senatorial districts best exemplify the principle of one person, one vote;

    (2) Single senatorial districts provide enhanced responsiveness to constituent needs, as the fewer constituents that each senator represents, the more time and energy a senator has to devote to their needs;

    (3) Single senatorial districts provide enhanced accountability, as it is easier for citizens to follow the actions of one senator than to follow the actions of two;

    (4) Single senatorial districts would aid in the implementation of campaign finance reform as a smaller district would reduce the amount of money needed for candidates to successfully contest elections;

    (5) Where large sums of money must be raised to compete in multi-senatorial districts, inordinate attention is given to the interests of contributors, and not the citizenry as a whole;

    (6) Historically, multi-senatorial districts were a tactic used in the segregation era to deny minority voters the full exercise of their franchise; and

    (7) Multi-senatorial districts continue to cause the disenfranchisement of large groups of voters in whole regions of West Virginia;

    (b) The Legislature, therefore, declares it to be in the best interest of its citizens that:

    (1) The State of West Virginia establish as a principle that single senatorial districts are needed for better functioning of our state’s political system;

    (2) Their use would lead to greater accountability and effective representation in our political process;

    (3) They would serve as a check on corruption of our public life and our ideals;

    (4) They would correct gross inequities currently present in our existing system; and

    (5) To achieve these ends, the policy of the state is to enact a plan for single senatorial districts.

    (c) Based upon the legislative findings and declarations contained within this section, and notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary and consistent with Constitutional requirements, the Senate is to be permanently composed of thirty- four single senatorial districts, with apportionment to meet Constitutional standards, based upon the results of the 2010 United States Census to be implemented during the 2018 elections.





    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create thirty-four single senatorial districts based on the 2010 census and implemented during the 2018 elections.


    This section is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.

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