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| Groups Want More Redistricting Hearings |
(IRN) -- The Illinois House has wrapped up its scheduled hearings on the state's redistricting process, but most witnesses testifying during the hearings made at least one thing clear: they want more hearings once the maps have been drawn, and before they head to a vote.
State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who chairs the House redistricting committee, isn't sure that will happen.
"I would be delighted if we could do that. I would be delighted," says Currie. "But I'm not making any guarantees, I'm not making any commitments, we don't have a timeline. Often things take just until about the deadline until they actually happen."
Lawmakers are redrawing Illinois' political maps, as they do every ten years, and for the past few weeks they’ve been taking input from the public on what they'd like to see.
Both the House and Senate have heard testimony from various ethnic and minority groups that want to ensure their neighborhoods are not split up; they’ve heard from ordinary citizens and even city officials.
"This is Illinois' capital city, and at least one member of the Illinois General Assembly should be a resident of our state's capital," says Springfield Alderman Sam Cahnman. "Yet it has been more than ten years since a resident of the capital city has represented this area in our state legislature."
State Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield), who represents the area in question, has a Springfield mailing address but does not live within city limits.
The House has wrapped up its scheduled hearings, but the Senate has a few more on tap through early next week.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 04 26 11 by Newsroom |
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