The independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted Thursday to forward to the state legislature for its consideration a package of proposals for improving the state statutes governing future Commissions. The proposals include selecting and seating the Commission earlier so that there is more time before the August 15th California Constitutional deadline to adopt final maps.

"This Commission had barely seven months to set up our structure, hire staff and consultants, conduct 34 public input hearings across the state, draw the districts and certify final maps by August 15th. Though we successfully completed our mission, the additional four and a half months we are proposing for future Commissions will help alleviate the severe time pressures and will give them the ability to take on additional public education, outreach and input hearings throughout the state," said Gil Ontai, the Commission's current Chair.

In addition to lengthening the Commission's redistricting time line, the statutory proposals include:

• Requiring at least one set of preliminary district maps for public review and comment on or before July 1st in years ending in one. The current Commission had no such requirement, but did produce a preliminary map on June 10, 2011.
• Require adequate funding of the Commission, including the work of the State Auditor during the Commissioner application and selection process. This amount cannot be less than the actual expenditures (adjusted for changes in the Consumer Price Index) of the preceding Commission.

Proposition 11 which was passed by voters to create the Citizens Redistricting Commission precludes the Legislature from making statutory or Constitutional changes to the redistricting process without the approval of the Commission.

The Citizens Redistricting Commission is charged with drawing the state's Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly and Board of Equalization districts. To view the Commission's proposed statute changes in full please visit www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov.