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House Passes New Map, Sets Up Collision Course with Senate

August 18th, 2015 by Mike Vasilinda

The state House today approved a congressional map, drawn in secret by staff, that splits Hillsborough County into four districts, cuts Sarasota in half, and reduces the ability of blacks to elect a north Florida congress person. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, today’s vote sets up a showdown with the state Senate over the lines in Hillsborough County.

Lawmakers made it clear, they resent the Florida Supreme Court for ordering them  to redraw Florida’s congressional lines. Rep. Mike Hill (R-Pensacola) complained loudly.

“The United States and Florida Constitutions have been assaulted” Hill told his colleagues.

Rep. John Wood of Winter Haven went so far as to suggest removing the judges,

“Impeachment” said Wood.

Democrats were quick to remind the GOP lawmakers the redrawing was a result of their own mischief. Rep. Jose Rodriguez (D-Miami)

“We are here because this legislature violated the constitution. The Florida Supreme Court describes a shadow redistricting process” says Rodriguez.

“76 years, 35 nays, Mr. Speaker”

While approved, even those in charge say the map poses big problems…among them, using thousands of black prison inmates to boost the black voting age of a new district stretching from Jacksonville to Tallahassee. Rep. Jose Oliva (R-Miami) is the House Redistricting Chair. “While we reduced the black voting age population, add to it the fact that some of that population may be incarcerated and may not be able to vote. I think its certainly reason for concern” says Oliva.

The House map splits Hillsborough into four districts. It sets up a showdown with the Senate, whose map only splits Hillsborough into two.

The Supreme Court is still going to have the final say on these maps, but that’s not likely to happen until October.

The debate also increased the calls for taking the map drawing out of the hands of partisan lawmakers and giving it to an independent commission.

Others also noted the new maps don’t account for more than a million and a half people who have moved to Florida since the 2010 Census. The State Senate will take up its version of the maps tomorrow, which will leave Thursday and Friday for working out the differences between the two maps.

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