Independent redistricting commissions.

Existing law authorizes a local jurisdiction, defined as including a county, general law city, school district, community college district, or special district, to establish an independent redistricting commission, a hybrid redistricting commission, or an advisory redistricting commission to change, or recommend changes to, the district boundaries of the legislative body of the local jurisdiction. Existing law provides for the establishment of the County of Los Angeles Citizens Redistricting Commission and the County of San Diego Independent Redistricting Commission. This bill would, with certain exceptions, require a county with more than 400,000 residents on and after January 1, 2019, and on and after January 1 of every subsequent year ending in the number 9, to establish by March 1, 2021, and by March 1 of every subsequent year ending in the number one, either a 9-member or 12-member independent redistricting commission to adopt the county's supervisorial districts after each federal decennial census pursuant to a specified procedure. The bill would require a county that does not pass an ordinance to establish a commission by March 1, 2020, and by March 1 of every subsequent year ending in the number zero to establish a 12-member commission pursuant to those procedures. The bill would require a commission established pursuant to those procedures to take steps to encourage county residents to participate in the redistricting process, and would specify certain procedures for the commission's hearing process relating to notice, the number of hearings, and translation of hearings. The bill would require the county to provide for reasonable funding and staffing of the commission. The bill would require the board of supervisors of a county to petition the superior court of the county for an order establishing supervisorial district boundaries if the independent redistricting commission does not adopt supervisorial district boundaries by a specified deadline. The bill would require the County of Los Angeles or the County of San Diego to establish 12-member independent redistricting commissions pursuant to these procedures if existing laws providing for the establishment of County of Los Angeles Citizens Redistricting Commission and the County of San Diego Independent Redistricting Commission are invalidated by a court. By increasing the duties of counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would clarify that a local jurisdiction that is partially or wholly located in the County of Los Angeles or the County of San Diego may contract with the County of Los Angeles Citizens Redistricting Commission and the County of San Diego Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt the local jurisdiction's election district boundaries. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.