County of Los Angeles Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Existing law establishes a Citizens Redistricting Commission to adjust the boundary lines of the supervisorial districts of the board of supervisors for the County of Los Angeles. Existing law requires the commission to consist of 14 members who meet specified qualifications. Existing law requires the county elections official, in each year ending in the number 0, to select 60 of the most qualified applicants for membership on the commission and categorize them into subpools for each of the 5 existing supervisorial districts, with random drawings to select one member for each supervisorial district and 3 additional members. Existing law requires those 8 members to select the remaining 6 members from among the list of most qualified applicants, as provided. This bill would instead require the commission to consist of 15 members. The bill would require the presiding judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court to appoint two retired judges as the cochairs of the commission. The bill would require 5 members to be chosen by random drawing from the subpools for each of the 5 existing supervisorial districts. The final 8 members would be selected by those 7 members from the list of most qualified applicants. The bill would require at least 2 members to reside in each of the 5 existing supervisorial districts. Existing law prohibits the commission from retaining a consultant under certain conditions, including that the consultant or their immediate family member, within the preceding 10 years, was appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for, office representing the County of Los Angeles or served as an employee or paid consultant for an elected official or candidate for office representing the County of Los Angeles. This bill would instead allow the commission to retain a consultant under those conditions, but only if the commission holds a public hearing during which those conditions are disclosed. Existing law requires the commission to draw maps to adjust the boundaries of the supervisorial districts according to certain requirements. Existing law requires the commission to conduct at least 7 public hearings before it draws the maps and at least 2 public hearings after it draws the maps. This bill would instead require the commission to conduct at least 5 public hearings before it draws the maps and at least 5 public hearings after it draws the maps, as provided. The bill would make the County of Los Angeles responsible for representing the interests of the commission in any judicial action concerning the commission or its work. By increasing the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.