Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF3270 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 04/28/2025

                            1.1	A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to the legislature; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution,​
1.3 article IV, sections 3, 5, 6, and 12; article V, section 3; by adding article IV, section​
1.4 27; by adding an article XV; establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission;​
1.5 establishing a Redistricting Commission Applicant Review Panel; establishing​
1.6 principles to be used in adopting legislative and congressional districts; prohibiting​
1.7 members of the legislature from being employed or engaged for compensation as​
1.8 a lobbyist for a period of one year following the end of their legislative service;​
1.9 amending requirements related to the convening and conduct of regular legislative​
1.10 sessions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 2.031, by adding a​
1.11 subdivision; 2.731; 10A.01, subdivision 35; proposing coding for new law in​
1.12 Minnesota Statutes, chapters 2; 2A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, section​
1.13 2.91.​
1.14BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.15	ARTICLE 1​
1.16 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS; INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING​
1.17	COMMISSION​
1.18 Section 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.​
1.19 An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment​
1.20is adopted, article IV, section 3, will read:​
1.21 Sec. 3. At its first session after each enumeration of the inhabitants of this state made​
1.22by the authority of the United States, the legislature shall have the power to prescribe the​
1.23bounds of congressional and legislative districts. Senators shall be chosen by single districts​
1.24of convenient contiguous territory. No representative district shall be divided in the formation​
1.25of a senate district. The senate districts shall be numbered in a regular series. A senate​
1.26district must consist of two whole representative districts, labeled "A" and "B," respectively.​
1​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​
State of Minnesota​
This Document can be made available​
in alternative formats upon request​
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​
H. F. No.  3270​
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
Authored by Long, Stephenson, Greenman, Frazier, Howard and others​04/29/2025​
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy​ 2.1 article IV, section 5, will read:​
2.2 Sec. 5. No senator or representative shall hold any other office under the authority of​
2.3the United States or the state of Minnesota, except that of postmaster or of notary public.​
2.4If elected or appointed to another office, a legislator may resign from the legislature by​
2.5tendering his resignation to the governor.​
2.6 No senator or representative may be employed as a lobbyist, or otherwise receive​
2.7compensation for services as a lobbyist, while seated in the legislature and for a period of​
2.8one year following the end of the senator's or representative's legislative service. "Lobbyist"​
2.9shall be defined by law.​
2.10 article IV, section 6, will read:​
2.11 Sec. 6. Senators and representatives shall be qualified voters of the state, and shall have​
2.12resided one year in the state and six months immediately preceding the election in the district​
2.13from which elected. Each house shall be the judge of the election returns and eligibility of​
2.14its own members, but in entering its judgment may not refuse membership or remove a​
2.15member except upon a majority vote of all members elected to that house. The legislature​
2.16shall prescribe by law the manner for taking evidence in cases of contested seats in either​
2.17house.​
2.18 article IV, section 12, will read:​
2.19 Sec. 12. The legislature shall meet at the seat of government in regular session in each​
2.20biennium at the times prescribed by law for not exceeding a total of 120 legislative days.​
2.21The legislature shall not meet in regular session, nor in any adjournment thereof, after the​
2.22first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any year. After meeting at a time​
2.23prescribed by law, the legislature may adjourn to another time. "Legislative day" shall be​
2.24defined by law. A special session of the legislature may be called by the governor on​
2.25extraordinary occasions.​
2.26 Neither house during a session of the legislature shall adjourn for more than three days​
2.27(Sundays excepted) nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be​
2.28assembled without the consent of the other house except upon notice by message to the​
2.29other house.​
2.30 a section shall be added to article IV, to read:​
2.31 Sec. 27. If a house is equally divided on a question, the lieutenant governor may cast a​
2.32vote on the question in the senate, and the secretary of state may cast a vote on the question​
2.33in the house of representatives. These votes must be entered in the journal and counted as​
2​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 3.1if they were cast by a member elected to that house. The lieutenant governor and secretary​
3.2of state are not members of either house for any other purpose.​
3.3 article V, section 3, will read:​
3.4 Sec. 3. The governor shall communicate by message to each session of the legislature​
3.5information touching the state and country. He is commander-in-chief of the military and​
3.6naval forces and may call them out to execute the laws, suppress insurrection and repel​
3.7invasion. He may require the opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the​
3.8executive departments upon any subject relating to his duties. With the advice and consent​
3.9of the senate he may appoint notaries public and other officers provided by law, provided​
3.10that the consent of the senate is not required if the senate has not acted upon an appointment​
3.11within 60 legislative days of its submission, if submitted more than 90 calendar days prior​
3.12to adjournment sine die of a regular session of the legislature, or within 60 legislative days​
3.13after the next legislature is convened, if submitted fewer than 90 calendar days prior to​
3.14adjournment sine die of a regular session of the legislature. He may appoint commissioners​
3.15to take the acknowledgment of deeds or other instruments in writing to be used in the state.​
3.16He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. He shall fill any vacancy that may​
3.17occur in the offices of secretary of state, auditor, attorney general and the other state and​
3.18district offices hereafter created by law until the end of the term for which the person who​
3.19had vacated the office was elected or the first Monday in January following the next general​
3.20election, whichever is sooner, and until a successor is chosen and qualified.​
3.21 article XV shall be added to read:​
3.22	ARTICLE XV​
3.23	INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION​
3.24 Section 1. By December 31, 2031, and each year following a federal decennial census​
3.25thereafter, an Independent Redistricting Commission shall adopt boundaries of congressional​
3.26and legislative districts. The commission is established within the legislative department​
3.27and consists of the following members:​
3.28 (1) five members who support the first political party;​
3.29 (2) five members who support the second political party; and​
3.30 (3) five members who do not affiliate with either the first political party or the second​
3.31political party.​
3​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 4.1 For purposes of this constitution and any subsequent enabling law, the "first political​
4.2party" means the political party receiving the highest number of combined votes for state​
4.3constitutional offices and United States Senate during the period since a statewide legislative​
4.4district plan was last ordered or adopted, aggregated across all elections conducted during​
4.5that period; and the "second political party" means the political party receiving the​
4.6second-highest number of combined votes for state constitutional offices and United States​
4.7Senate during the period since a statewide legislative district plan was last ordered or adopted,​
4.8aggregated across all elections conducted during that period.​
4.9 Sec. 2. A commission member must be a resident of Minnesota, have continuously​
4.10resided in Minnesota during the current year and the immediately preceding six years, and​
4.11be eligible to vote in Minnesota.​
4.12 The following individuals are ineligible to serve on the Independent Redistricting​
4.13Commission, on the Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening Panel, or as​
4.14administrative, professional, or technical staff or consultants to either the commission or​
4.15screening panel:​
4.16 (1) current federal, state, or local elected officials, and their immediate family members;​
4.17 (2) current appointed officials who are defined by law as public officials, and their​
4.18immediate family members;​
4.19 (3) individuals who have served in any federal, state, or local elected office or appointed​
4.20position defined by law as a public official in Minnesota during the current year and​
4.21immediately preceding six years, and their immediate family members;​
4.22 (4) individuals who have been a candidate for any federal, state, or local elective office​
4.23in Minnesota during the current year and the immediately preceding six years, and their​
4.24immediate family members;​
4.25 (5) individuals who have served as an officer, paid consultant, or contractor to any​
4.26political party, political action committee, or campaign committee at the federal, state, or​
4.27local level for any period during the current year or the immediately preceding six years,​
4.28and their immediate family members;​
4.29 (6) individuals who have served as a staff member, paid consultant, or contractor for​
4.30any elected official or candidate for any federal, state, or local office for any period during​
4.31the current year and the immediately preceding six years, and their immediate family​
4.32members; and​
4​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 5.1 (7) individuals who have been a lobbyist registered with the state of Minnesota or the​
5.2federal government for any period during the current year and the immediately preceding​
5.3six years, and their immediate family members.​
5.4 Sec. 3. No later than January 1 of the year of a decennial census, the chief justice of the​
5.5supreme court must appoint two retired judges who served a federal, state, or Tribal court​
5.6of jurisdiction in Minnesota to a Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening Panel. One​
5.7of these appointees must support the first political party, and one of these appointees must​
5.8support the second political party. The two appointees of the chief justice must mutually​
5.9agree on one additional retired federal, state, or Tribal court judge who is not affiliated with​
5.10either the first political party or the second political party, to serve as the third member of​
5.11the panel and as its chair. Each member of the panel must commit to conduct the work of​
5.12the panel in a fair and impartial manner, and must not attempt to create an advantage in the​
5.13applicant screening process for any political party. The purpose of the Redistricting​
5.14Commission Applicant Screening Panel is to solicit applications from members of the public​
5.15for service on the Independent Redistricting Commission; to review applications to determine​
5.16each applicant's qualifications, conflicts of interest, party affiliation, relevant experiences​
5.17and skills, community ties, and commitment to impartiality, compromise, and fairness; and​
5.18to establish pools of well-qualified candidates to be used in selecting commission members​
5.19by random lot.​
5.20 No later than July 1 of the year of a decennial census, the screening panel must close​
5.21the application period and select, by majority vote of the panel, a pool of 30 qualified​
5.22applicants to serve in the role of a commission member supporting the first political party;​
5.23a pool of 30 qualified applicants to serve in the role of a commission member supporting​
5.24the second political party; and a pool of 30 qualified applicants to serve in the role of a​
5.25commission member who does not affiliate with either the first political party or the second​
5.26political party. To the extent practicable, the screening panel must ensure that each applicant​
5.27pool consists of well-qualified applicants and reflects the gender, socioeconomic, age, racial,​
5.28language, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the state. Each congressional district must be​
5.29represented by at least two applicants in each applicant pool. The panel must make public​
5.30the name, the current place of residence, and the partisan affiliation, if any, of each person​
5.31selected for an applicant pool. The panel must make this information available on its website​
5.32and provide a portal for the submission of public comments on each applicant. Submitted​
5.33comments may only be viewed by the panel's members. The panel must itself, or by contract​
5.34with a professional search firm, conduct and publicly broadcast individual screening​
5.35interviews with the applicants identified in each pool. The purpose of the screening interview​
5​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 6.1must be to examine the applicant's qualifications, conflicts of interest, party affiliation,​
6.2relevant experiences and skills, community ties, and commitment to impartiality, compromise,​
6.3and fairness.​
6.4 After reviewing the public comments and conducting interviews, but no later than​
6.5September 15 of the year of a decennial census, the screening panel must select and publish​
6.6a list of finalists who are well qualified and collectively reflect a geographically and​
6.7demographically representative cross section of the state. The list of finalists must include​
6.815 applicants who support the first political party, 15 applicants who support the second​
6.9political party, and 15 applicants who do not affiliate with either the first or second political​
6.10party.​
6.11 No later than October 15 of the year of a decennial census, the chair of the screening​
6.12panel must choose, by random lot in a public meeting, three applicants from the pool of 15​
6.13finalists supporting the first political party, three applicants from the pool of 15 finalists​
6.14supporting the second political party, and three applicants from the pool of 15 finalists that​
6.15do not affiliate with either the first political party or the second political party. The chosen​
6.16applicants shall be seated as members of the Independent Redistricting Commission. The​
6.17chair of the screening panel must convene the first meeting of the commission no later than​
6.1830 days after the members chosen by random lot have been selected. No later than 60 days​
6.19following its first meeting, the seated Independent Redistricting Commission members must​
6.20convene and assess the demographic and geographic diversity of the nine members and​
6.21must review and select, by majority vote, a total of six additional members, two members​
6.22from each of the pools of applicants selected by the Redistricting Commission Applicant​
6.23Screening Panel to be seated. The six additional members shall be chosen to ensure the​
6.24commission reflects this state's diversity, including but not limited to racial, ethnic,​
6.25geographic, and gender diversity. It is not intended that formulas or specific ratios be applied​
6.26for this purpose. At least one member of the commission supporting the first party and one​
6.27member for the commission supporting the second party must vote in favor of each member​
6.28seated from the pool of applicants that do not affiliate with either the first political party or​
6.29the second political party. In the event of an impasse, the chair of the Redistricting​
6.30Commission Applicant Screening Panel must choose any remaining members by lot from​
6.31among the applicable pool of applicants established by the panel. The Independent​
6.32Redistricting Commission may not conduct further business until all commission members​
6.33have been chosen and seated.​
6.34 A member of the commission may be removed, for cause, by a vote of 12 members,​
6.35including the affirmative vote of at least one member supporting the first political party,​
6​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 7.1one member supporting the second political party, and one member that is not affiliated​
7.2with either the first or second political party. Standards for removal and the ethical conduct​
7.3of commission members may be further provided by law. The chief justice of the supreme​
7.4court must fill a vacancy on the commission by random lot from among the pool of applicants​
7.5selected by the screening panel that corresponds to the party affiliation of the vacating​
7.6member. The selection process must be open for public viewing.​
7.7 A commission member may not be seated as a member of the house of representatives​
7.8or the senate during any year in which a district map adopted by the commission on which​
7.9the member served is in effect.​
7.10 Sec. 4. The commission must elect a chair, vice-chair, and other officers from among​
7.11its members. A quorum of the commission is nine members.​
7.12 The commission must adopt a schedule of public hearings and other hearing and​
7.13administrative procedures to guide the conduct of its work. The schedule and procedures​
7.14must be designed in favor of transparency and to maximize opportunities for public​
7.15participation and public comment on the commission's work. The commission must solicit​
7.16public comment on the locations to be used for public hearings before a schedule is adopted.​
7.17 The commission must solicit public comment on its map drawing process, its methods​
7.18of applying the required principles, and the maps proposed by commission members. The​
7.19commission must also provide opportunities for members of the public to submit proposed​
7.20maps and proposed methods of applying the required principles and allow opportunities in​
7.21a public meeting for other members of the public to review and comment on those proposed​
7.22maps and methods of applying the required principles.​
7.23 Consistent with available technology, the commission must provide opportunities for​
7.24the public to view and participate in commission meetings by electronic means, and to​
7.25access the work of the commission in multiple languages.​
7.26 A redistricting plan must not be adopted unless the commission has conducted at least​
7.27two public hearings in each congressional district at which an opportunity for public comment​
7.28is provided, including one public hearing before any map is drawn and one public hearing​
7.29after a proposed map is made public. To be adopted, a redistricting plan must be approved​
7.30in a public meeting by at least nine members, including at least two who support the first​
7.31political party, two who support the second political party, and one who does not affiliate​
7.32with either the first or second political parties. A vote on a final redistricting plan may not​
7.33occur unless the final plan has been publicly posted for at least 14 days. At a meeting where​
7.34a redistricting plan is proposed for final adoption, the commission may only amend the plan​
7​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 8.1for the purpose of making technical corrections. The meaning of a technical correction, and​
8.2procedures for adopting technical corrections after the commission has expired, may be​
8.3provided by law.​
8.4 The commission must adopt a final redistricting plan no later than December 31 of the​
8.5year following a decennial census. Each adopted plan, along with a report summarizing the​
8.6commission's work on the plan, how the plan responds to public input received by the​
8.7commission, and how the plan adheres to the requirements of this constitution and other​
8.8applicable law, must be filed with the secretary of state no later than seven days following​
8.9its adoption.​
8.10 The commission must hire necessary administrative, professional, and technical staff to​
8.11assist the commission in its work. Any staff employed by the commission must report to​
8.12the commission and owe a duty of care and duty of loyalty to the commission as a whole.​
8.13Staff must be screened for potential biases or conflicts of interest and must demonstrate the​
8.14necessary experience, expertise, and skills in the conduct of redistricting.​
8.15 A redistricting plan adopted by the commission is effective beginning at the state general​
8.16election held the second year following the federal decennial census and thereafter, until​
8.17new district plans are adopted. The commission expires when both legislative and​
8.18congressional redistricting plans have been adopted and filed with the secretary of state,​
8.19but may be reconstituted as required by this constitution.​
8.20 Sec. 5. Congressional and legislative districts must be drawn in accordance with the​
8.21principles listed in this section. If districts cannot be drawn fully in accordance with all​
8.22principles, priority must be given to the principles in the order in which they are listed,​
8.23except when doing so would violate federal law, including requirements of the United States​
8.24Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended.​
8.25 Each congressional district must be as nearly equal in total population as practicable.​
8.26Each legislative district must be substantially equal in total population. The maximum​
8.27permissible deviation for a legislative district is three percent, plus or minus, from the total​
8.28population of the ideal district. The population counts used for purposes of drawing district​
8.29maps must be the block population counts provided to the state under Public Law 94-171,​
8.30or a successor law, after each decennial census, subject to the correction of any errors​
8.31acknowledged by the United States Census Bureau, and as adjusted to allocate each person​
8.32incarcerated in a state or federal correctional facility to the census block of the person's last​
8.33known address, if the person has a last known address in Minnesota, and to exclude​
8.34incarcerated persons whose last known address is not located in Minnesota or who do not​
8​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 9.1have a last known address. The legislature may provide procedures by law for the conduct​
9.2of these allocations and exclusions.​
9.3 Districts must provide, at a minimum:​
9.4 (1) the equal opportunity of racial, ethnic, and language minorities to participate in the​
9.5political process and to elect candidates of their choice, whether alone or in coalition with​
9.6others; and​
9.7 (2) sizable racial, ethnic, and language minorities who constitute less than a voting-age​
9.8majority of a district with an opportunity to substantially influence the outcome of an election.​
9.9 Federally recognized American Indian Tribal reservations may only be divided if:​
9.10 (1) the division occurs because a portion of the reservation is not contiguous with another​
9.11portion of the reservation; or​
9.12 (2) despite the division, the known population of the reservation remains wholly located​
9.13within a single district.​
9.14 Districts must minimize the division of identifiable communities of interest. A community​
9.15of interest may include a racial, ethnic, or linguistic group or any group with shared​
9.16experiences or concerns, including but not limited to geographic, regional, social, cultural,​
9.17historic, socioeconomic, occupational, trade, or transportation interests. Communities of​
9.18interest do not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or candidates. A​
9.19political subdivision is not, by itself, a community of interest. Where communities of interest​
9.20overlap, greater consideration must be given to those communities of interest whose​
9.21representational needs would be most benefited from the community's inclusion in a single​
9.22district.​
9.23 Each district must be contiguous. Contiguity by water is sufficient if the water is not a​
9.24serious obstacle to travel within the district. A district with areas that touch only at a point​
9.25is not contiguous.​
9.26 Districts must minimize the division of counties, cities, school districts, and towns to​
9.27the extent practicable.​
9.28 Sec. 6. A redistricting plan must not purposely favor or disfavor a candidate or​
9.29incumbent. The statewide proportion of districts in each redistricting plan that favor a​
9.30political party must correspond closely to the statewide partisan preferences for the voters​
9.31of Minnesota for that party.​
9​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 10.1 The statewide proportion of districts in each redistricting plan that favor a political party​
10.2must be determined by:​
10.3 (1) calculating the number of districts in the redistricting plan that would have been won​
10.4by the candidates representing the first political party and the second political party using​
10.5the two-party vote in each statewide partisan general election held in the preceding six years​
10.6for which precinct-level data is available;​
10.7 (2) dividing each of these numbers by the total number of districts in the redistricting​
10.8plan to obtain the proportion of districts in the redistricting plan that would have been won​
10.9by candidates representing the first political party and the second political party in each​
10.10general election; and​
10.11 (3) calculating the median of these proportions for each political party.​
10.12 The statewide partisan preferences of the voters of Minnesota must be determined by:​
10.13 (1) calculating the proportion of the statewide two-party vote received by the candidates​
10.14representing the first political party and the second political party in each statewide partisan​
10.15general election held in the preceding six years for which precinct-level data is available;​
10.16and​
10.17 (2) calculating the median of these proportions for each political party.​
10.18 To "correspond closely" means that the statewide proportion of districts in each​
10.19redistricting plan that favor each political party deviates by no more than three percentage​
10.20points in either direction, or if this is arithmetically impossible, by the smallest possible​
10.21proportion that is larger than three percentage points, from the statewide partisan preferences​
10.22of the voters of Minnesota.​
10.23 Sec. 7. If the Independent Redistricting Commission fails to adopt a final redistricting​
10.24plan by December 31 of the year following a decennial census, each member of the​
10.25commission may submit, within five business days, no more than one proposed redistricting​
10.26plan for each redistricting plan that is the subject of impasse for a total vote runoff process.​
10.27Each commissioner must rank all submitted redistricting plans in decreasing order of​
10.28preference. The submitted redistricting plan that wins a total vote runoff shall be the final​
10.29adopted redistricting plan. The chair of the commission must conduct the total vote runoff​
10.30process and select the final redistricting plan in a public meeting. In the event of a tie, the​
10.31chair must select, by lot, the final redistricting plan from among the tied plans, in the same​
10.32public meeting.​
10​Article 1 Section 1.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 11.1 Sec. 8. The supreme court shall have exclusive, original jurisdiction in all cases alleging​
11.2that a redistricting plan adopted by the commission fails to comply with this article or other​
11.3applicable law. The commission shall have exclusive standing to defend any action​
11.4challenging the adoption of a redistricting plan, and notwithstanding the commission's​
11.5expiration, may reconstitute itself under its own authority for this purpose.​
11.6 If the supreme court or other court of jurisdiction determines that an adopted redistricting​
11.7plan does not comply with the requirements of this article or other applicable law, the​
11.8commission may be reconstituted by court order, or may reconstitute itself under its own​
11.9authority, for the purpose of adopting a compliant plan. The membership of the reconstituted​
11.10commission must be the same membership that adopted the noncompliant plan, subject to​
11.11the filling of vacancies as provided in this article. If, after the commission has been​
11.12reconstituted, the court finds that a newly adopted redistricting plan does not comply with​
11.13the requirements of this article, the court may order other appropriate relief, including​
11.14drawing and ordering new districts under its own authority. A redistricting plan ordered by​
11.15the supreme court must conform to the requirements of sections 5 and 6.​
11.16 Sec. 9. The legislature must provide appropriations by law to sufficiently fund the work​
11.17of the Independent Redistricting Commission and the Redistricting Commission Applicant​
11.18Screening Panel, including necessary amounts for administrative, professional, and technical​
11.19services; litigation costs; and other reasonable expenses. Notwithstanding article XI, if​
11.20sufficient funds are not appropriated by law, the supreme court may order that money be​
11.21paid out of the state treasury for this purpose.​
11.22 Sec. 10. If any provision of this article, or a subsequent enabling law, is found to be​
11.23unconstitutional and void, the remaining provisions of this article or the subsequent enabling​
11.24law remain valid, unless the court finds the valid provisions are so essentially and inseparably​
11.25connected with, and dependent upon, the void provisions that the court cannot presume the​
11.26remaining valid provisions would have been enacted without the void provisions, or unless​
11.27the court finds that the remaining valid provisions, standing alone, are incomplete and​
11.28incapable of being executed in accordance with their intent.​
11.29Sec. 2. SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.​
11.30 (a) The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2026 general election.​
11.31The question submitted must be:​
11.32 "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require an independent redistricting​
11.33commission to adopt boundaries for congressional and legislative districts following a​
11.34decennial census; to prohibit members of the legislature from serving as lobbyists while in​
11​Article 1 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 12.1office and for a period of one year after leaving office; to amend requirements related to​
12.2the timing and process for convening regular legislative sessions; to permit the lieutenant​
12.3governor to act as a tie breaking vote in the senate, and the secretary of state to act as a tie​
12.4breaking vote in the house of representatives; to modify the process related to confirmation​
12.5of gubernatorial appointments by the senate; and to require a majority of all members elected​
12.6to a house to judge the election returns and eligibility of a member of that house?​
12.7	Yes ...................
"​12.8	No ....................
12.9 (b) The ballot question title required under Minnesota Statutes, section 204D.15,​
12.10subdivision 1, must be "Conflict of Interest - Legislative Reform."​
12.11	ARTICLE 2​
12.12 INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION; STATUTORY​
12.13	IMPLEMENTATION​
12.14Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 2.031, is amended by adding a subdivision​
12.15to read:​
12.16 Subd. 3.Numbering.Legislative districts must be numbered in a regular series, beginning​
12.17with House of Representatives District 1A in the northwest corner of the state and proceeding​
12.18across the state from west to east, north to south. In a county that includes more than one​
12.19whole senate district, the districts must be numbered consecutively.​
12.20 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, if the constitutional​
12.21amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
12.22Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 2.731, is amended to read:​
12.23 2.731 NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.​
12.24 The state of Minnesota is divided into eight congressional districts, each of which is​
12.25entitled to elect one representative to the Congress of the United States of America.​
12.26Congressional district numbers must begin with the first district in the southeast corner of​
12.27the state and end with the district with the highest number in the northeast corner of the​
12.28state.​
12.29 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, if the constitutional​
12.30amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
12​Article 2 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 13.1 Sec. 3. [2.94] REDISTRICTING COMMISSION APPLICANT SCREENING PANEL.​
13.2 Subdivision 1.Application.This section establishes and implements the Redistricting​
13.3Applicant Screening Panel consistent with the Minnesota Constitution, article XV. Except​
13.4where otherwise provided, the terms used in this section are defined consistently with those​
13.5as used in the Minnesota Constitution, article XV.​
13.6 Subd. 2.Appointments; first meeting; compensation.(a) No later than January 1 of​
13.7the year of a decennial census, the chief justice of the supreme court must appoint two​
13.8retired federal or state judges to serve on the Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening​
13.9Panel. The chief justice must designate one of the retired judges to convene the panel's first​
13.10meeting. The first meeting must be convened no later than February 15 of the year of a​
13.11decennial census. No later than March 1 of that year, the two appointees must agree on a​
13.12third retired federal or state judge to complete the panel's membership.​
13.13 (b) Members of the panel may be compensated and receive expense reimbursement as​
13.14provided by section 15.0575, subdivision 3.​
13.15 Subd. 3.Ethics; conflicts of interest; ex parte communications.(a) Members of the​
13.16panel are public officials for purposes of chapter 10A. In addition to the prohibitions in​
13.17section 10A.071, a member of the panel may not accept a gift as defined in that section​
13.18from a member of the legislature, a member of Congress, or a staff member to a member​
13.19of the legislature or Congress.​
13.20 (b) Members of the panel may not communicate with a member of the legislature, a​
13.21member of Congress, or a staff member to a member of the legislature or Congress about​
13.22the panel's work.​
13.23 (c) The prohibitions in this subdivision apply during the period beginning at the time of​
13.24the panel member's appointment and until the panel member has completed the panel​
13.25member's work. A member of the legislature, a member of Congress, or a staff member to​
13.26a member of the legislature or Congress must not give a gift, promise a future gift, or engage​
13.27in communication that a panel member is prohibited from receiving under this subdivision,​
13.28and must not request another person to give a gift, promise a future gift, or engage in​
13.29communication with a panel member, directly or indirectly, in an attempt to circumvent the​
13.30prohibitions of this subdivision.​
13.31 Subd. 4.Outreach and solicitation of applications.The panel must develop and​
13.32implement an outreach plan to inform the public about the work of the Independent​
13.33Redistricting Commission and to encourage interested persons to apply for appointment.​
13.34The panel must make an application form available for this purpose. The panel must make​
13​Article 2 Sec. 3.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 14.1reasonable efforts to ensure the application process is widely publicized and distributed​
14.2through media and other available channels, with a goal of facilitating a large application​
14.3pool consisting of well-qualified individuals who reflect a geographically and​
14.4demographically representative cross section of the state. Information about the work of​
14.5the commission and the application process must be made available in multiple languages.​
14.6The panel must consult with the state demographer for the purpose of ensuring that materials​
14.7in accessible languages are targeted to appropriate regions of the state.​
14.8 Subd. 5.Application contents; required disclosures.In addition to other information​
14.9as determined by the panel, the application for membership on the Independent Redistricting​
14.10Commission must require each applicant to disclose the information required by section​
14.1110A.09 and the following:​
14.12 (1) contributions made by the applicant to federal, state, or local candidates for elective​
14.13office, political parties, and political committees, including direct and in-kind contributions​
14.14during the current year and immediately preceding six years;​
14.15 (2) the applicant's history of partisan affiliations, including primary ballots voted,​
14.16nonmonetary contributions to political campaigns, and any other political engagement,​
14.17including but not limited to involvement in political campaigns or other political organizations​
14.18whether paid or volunteer;​
14.19 (3) the identity of any family members who would be ineligible to serve on the​
14.20commission according to the requirements of this constitution;​
14.21 (4) personal or professional relationships with persons during the current year or the​
14.22immediately preceding six years who would be ineligible to serve on the commission​
14.23according to the requirements of this constitution; and​
14.24 (5) any financial or other information that may be required by law.​
14.25These disclosures must be posted on the panel's website.​
14.26 Subd. 6.Open meetings; data practices.The panel is subject to chapters 13 and 13D.​
14.27Data on applicants for appointment to the commission are governed by section 13.601,​
14.28subdivision 3, except that data required to be disclosed under this section or the Minnesota​
14.29Constitution, article XV, is also public. Comments submitted by members of the public​
14.30about applicants for appointment to the commission are private data, as defined in section​
14.3113.02, subdivision 12, on the member of the public who submitted the comment.​
14.32 Subd. 7.General powers; staffing and professional services.(a) The panel has the​
14.33powers necessary to carry out its responsibilities as required by the constitution and this​
14​Article 2 Sec. 3.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 15.1chapter. The panel may employ nonpartisan staff and enter other agreements to secure​
15.2necessary administrative, professional, and technical services as it deems necessary. Staff​
15.3employed by the panel serve in the unclassified service and owe a duty of care and duty of​
15.4loyalty to the panel as a whole. Staff, and any other person retained by the panel for the​
15.5purpose of providing professional support, must be screened for potential biases and conflicts​
15.6of interest and must demonstrate the experience, expertise, and skills necessary to assist the​
15.7panel in its work.​
15.8 (b) Prior to January 1 in the year of the decennial census, the director of the Legislative​
15.9Coordinating Commission must contract with a consultant who will provide the panel with​
15.10operational and logistical support. The Legislative Coordinating Commission must assist​
15.11the panel in hiring additional staff and securing adequate office and meeting space.​
15.12 Subd. 8.Expiration.The panel expires upon its certification to the chief justice of the​
15.13supreme court that it has established and transmitted to the chief justice and to the​
15.14Independent Redistricting Commission its pools of applicants for appointment to the​
15.15commission consistent with the requirements of this section and the Minnesota Constitution,​
15.16article XV, except that the panel chair must continue to perform any duties required by the​
15.17Minnesota Constitution, this section, and section 2.95, as applicable.​
15.18 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, and applies to the 2030​
15.19redistricting cycle and thereafter, if the constitutional amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
15.20Sec. 4. [2.95] INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.​
15.21 Subdivision 1.Application.This section establishes and implements the Independent​
15.22Redistricting Commission consistent with the Minnesota Constitution, article XV. Except​
15.23where otherwise provided:​
15.24 (1) the terms used in this section are defined consistently with those as used in the​
15.25Minnesota Constitution, article XV; and​
15.26 (2) the dates referenced in this section refer to those dates in the year following a federal​
15.27decennial census.​
15.28 Subd. 2.Appointments; first meeting; compensation and removal.(a) No later than​
15.29October 15 of the year of a decennial census, the chief justice of the supreme court must​
15.30select by random lot the members of the Independent Redistricting Commission from among​
15.31the applicant pools established by the Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening Panel,​
15.32consistent with the requirements of the Minnesota Constitution, article XV.​
15​Article 2 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 16.1 (b) No later than November 15 of the year of a decennial census, the chair of the​
16.2Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening Panel must convene the first meeting of the​
16.3commission. The panel chair must preside at commission meetings until a commission chair​
16.4is elected, but the panel chair is not a commission member and, except for ministerial​
16.5functions required by law and necessary to facilitate its organization, must not otherwise​
16.6participate in the commission's work. The commission must be fully seated and must elect​
16.7a chair and other officers from among all appointed members no later than 60 days following​
16.8its first meeting.​
16.9 (c) Members of the commission are entitled to compensation and expense reimbursement,​
16.10consistent with the amounts provided by section 15.0575, subdivision 3.​
16.11 (d) A member of the commission may only be removed for cause by a vote of 12​
16.12members, including the vote of at least one member supporting the first political party, one​
16.13member supporting the second political party, and one member that is not affiliated with​
16.14either the first or second political party. Prior to a vote to remove a member, the commission​
16.15must provide notice, a public hearing, and an opportunity for members of the public to​
16.16comment on the proposed removal. Cause for removal includes but is not limited to the​
16.17following:​
16.18 (1) knowing failure to disclose information required by law;​
16.19 (2) willful disregard for the requirements governing the conduct of redistricting provided​
16.20by the constitution or applicable law;​
16.21 (3) wanton and willful neglect of duty or gross misconduct or malfeasance in office;​
16.22 (4) a member's incapacity or inability to perform required duties;​
16.23 (5) any action that undermines the public's trust in the commission or in the conduct of​
16.24a fair redistricting process;​
16.25 (6) engaging in ex parte communication about the work of the commission with a member​
16.26of the legislature, a member of Congress, or a staff member to a member of the legislature​
16.27or Congress, in violation of this section; and​
16.28 (7) missing three consecutive commission meetings.​
16.29 Subd. 3.Ethics; conflicts of interest; ex parte communications.(a) Members of the​
16.30commission are public officials for purposes of chapter 10A. In addition to the prohibitions​
16.31in section 10A.071, a member of the commission may not accept a gift as defined in that​
16.32section from a member of the legislature, a member of Congress, or a staff member to a​
16.33member of the legislature or Congress.​
16​Article 2 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 17.1 (b) Members of the commission may not communicate with a member of the legislature,​
17.2a member of Congress, or a staff member to a member of the legislature or Congress about​
17.3the commission's work. A staff member to a member of the legislature may communicate​
17.4with a staff member to the commission to the extent required to fulfill a duty of the​
17.5constitution or this chapter.​
17.6 (c) The prohibitions in this subdivision apply during the period beginning at the time of​
17.7the member's appointment and until the commission has adopted and filed its redistricting​
17.8plans with the secretary of state, and during any period in which the commission is​
17.9reconstituted pursuant to its own authority or by court order. A member of the legislature,​
17.10a member of Congress, or a staff member to a member of the legislature or Congress may​
17.11not give a gift, promise a future gift, or engage in communication that a commission member​
17.12is prohibited from receiving under this subdivision, and may not request another person to​
17.13give a gift, promise a future gift, or engage in communication with a commission member,​
17.14directly or indirectly, in an attempt to circumvent the prohibitions of this subdivision.​
17.15 Subd. 4.Open meetings; data practices; language access.(a) The commission is​
17.16subject to chapters 13 and 13D. A map proposal that is created by the commission or its​
17.17staff, and any communications or supporting data associated with a map proposal, are​
17.18nonpublic data as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 9, until the map proposal is presented​
17.19to the commission in a public meeting. Supporting data do not include preliminary drafts​
17.20of a map proposal or communications related to a preliminary draft. The commission may​
17.21disclose any of its data at any time if disclosure would aid the commission in considering​
17.22and preparing its proposals.​
17.23 (b) Consistent with section 13D.015, the commission may permit its members to​
17.24participate in a congressional district hearing by interactive technology, provided that at​
17.25least one member of the commission is physically present at a meeting location in the​
17.26designated congressional district. Notwithstanding section 13D.015, a commission member​
17.27need not be present at the commission's regular meeting location during a congressional​
17.28district hearing.​
17.29 (c) At a minimum, commission materials must be made available in all languages in​
17.30which voting materials in any jurisdiction of the state are required to be distributed under​
17.31section 204B.295 or other applicable federal or state law.​
17.32 Subd. 5.Schedule of hearings; public hearing and administrative procedures.The​
17.33commission must adopt a schedule of public hearings and necessary hearing and​
17.34administrative procedures to guide the conduct of its work. The schedule and procedures​
17​Article 2 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 18.1must be posted on the commission's website. The schedule and procedures are not rules for​
18.2purposes of chapter 14, and section 14.386 does not apply.​
18.3 Subd. 6.General powers; staffing and professional services.(a) The commission has​
18.4the powers necessary to carry out its responsibilities as required by the constitution and this​
18.5chapter. The commission may employ nonpartisan staff and enter other agreements to secure​
18.6necessary legal counsel, information technology, geographic information systems, and other​
18.7administrative, professional, and technical services as it deems necessary. Staff employed​
18.8by the commission serve in the unclassified service and owe a duty of care and duty of​
18.9loyalty to the commission as a whole. Commission staff, and any other person retained by​
18.10the commission for the purpose of providing professional support, must be screened for​
18.11potential biases and conflicts of interest and must demonstrate the experience, expertise,​
18.12and skills necessary to assist the commission in its work.​
18.13 (b) Prior to January 1 in the year of the decennial census, the director of the Legislative​
18.14Coordinating Commission must contract with a consultant who will provide the commission​
18.15with operational and logistical support. The Legislative Coordinating Commission must​
18.16assist the commission in hiring additional staff and securing adequate office and meeting​
18.17space.​
18.18 Subd. 7.Data to be used.(a) The geographic areas and population counts used in maps,​
18.19tables, and legal descriptions of legislative and congressional districts must be those used​
18.20by the Geographic Information Services (GIS) Office of the Legislative Coordinating​
18.21Commission. The population counts must be the block population counts provided to the​
18.22state under Public Law 94-171 after each decennial census, subject to correction of any​
18.23errors acknowledged by the United States Census Bureau, and subject to any other​
18.24adjustments and exclusions required by law. Both the commission and the GIS Office must​
18.25make this data available to the public on their websites.​
18.26 (b) A redistricting plan must not be considered for adoption until the plan's block​
18.27equivalency file has been submitted to the GIS Office in a form prescribed by the GIS​
18.28Office. The block equivalency file must show the district to which each census block has​
18.29been assigned.​
18.30 Subd. 8.Technical review and corrections.(a) Prior to final adoption of a redistricting​
18.31plan, the commission must engage in a technical review of the plan. A technical review​
18.32includes ensuring that the plan encompasses all the territory of this state and that no territory​
18.33is omitted or duplicated. At a meeting where a redistricting plan is proposed for final​
18​Article 2 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 19.1adoption, the commission may amend the plan for the purpose of making technical corrections​
19.2as necessary to meet the following principles:​
19.3 (1) if a territory in this state is not named in the redistricting plan but lies within the​
19.4boundaries of a district, it is a part of the district within which it lies;​
19.5 (2) if a territory in this state is not named in the redistricting plan but lies between the​
19.6boundaries of two or more districts, it is a part of the contiguous district having the smallest​
19.7population;​
19.8 (3) if a territory in this state is assigned in the redistricting plan to two or more districts,​
19.9it is a part of the district having the smallest population;​
19.10 (4) if a territory in this state is assigned to a district that consists of other territory​
19.11containing a majority of the population of the district but with which it is not contiguous,​
19.12the territory is a part of the contiguous district having the smallest population; and​
19.13 (5) if the description of a district boundary line that divides a political subdivision is​
19.14ambiguous because a highway, street, railroad track, power transmission line, river, creek,​
19.15or other physical feature or census block boundary that forms part of the district boundary​
19.16is omitted or is not properly named or has been changed, or because a compass direction​
19.17for the boundary line is wrong, the commission may add or correct the name or compass​
19.18direction and resolve the ambiguity in favor of creating districts of contiguous territory of​
19.19substantially equal population that do not divide political subdivisions more than is necessary​
19.20to meet constitutional requirements.​
19.21 (b) In addition to meeting the principles described in paragraph (a), at a meeting where​
19.22a redistricting plan is proposed for final adoption, the commission may adopt amendments​
19.23to the plan for the purpose of incorporating any technical corrections that may be​
19.24recommended by the secretary of state.​
19.25 (c) If a technical error in a redistricting plan is discovered after the commission has​
19.26dissolved, the chief administrative law judge, after notifying the secretary of state, the​
19.27Legislative Coordinating Commission, and the chief justice of the supreme court, may order​
19.28a correction consistent with the principles listed in this subdivision. The chief administrative​
19.29law judge must provide a copy of each correction order to each affected county auditor and​
19.30municipal clerk.​
19.31 Subd. 9.Duty of secretary of state.The secretary of state shall provide copies of the​
19.32relevant portions of a filed redistricting plan to each county auditor, who shall provide a​
19.33copy of the relevant portions of the plan to each municipal clerk within the county. The​
19​Article 2 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 20.1secretary of state, with the cooperation of the commissioner of administration, shall make​
20.2copies of the plan file, maps, and tables available to the public for the cost of publication.​
20.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, and applies to the 2030​
20.4redistricting cycle and thereafter, if the constitutional amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
20.5 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 10A.01, subdivision 35, is amended to read:​
20.6 Subd. 35.Public official."Public official" means any:​
20.7 (1) member of the legislature;​
20.8 (2) individual employed by the legislature as secretary of the senate, legislative auditor,​
20.9director of the Legislative Budget Office, chief clerk of the house of representatives, revisor​
20.10of statutes, or researcher, legislative analyst, fiscal analyst, or attorney in the Office of​
20.11Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis, House Research, or the House Fiscal Analysis​
20.12Department;​
20.13 (3) constitutional officer in the executive branch and the officer's chief administrative​
20.14deputy;​
20.15 (4) solicitor general or deputy, assistant, or special assistant attorney general;​
20.16 (5) commissioner, deputy commissioner, or assistant commissioner of any state​
20.17department or agency as listed in section 15.01 or 15.06, or the state chief information​
20.18officer;​
20.19 (6) member, chief administrative officer, or deputy chief administrative officer of a state​
20.20board or commission that has either the power to adopt, amend, or repeal rules under chapter​
20.2114, or the power to adjudicate contested cases or appeals under chapter 14;​
20.22 (7) individual employed in the executive branch who is authorized to adopt, amend, or​
20.23repeal rules under chapter 14 or adjudicate contested cases under chapter 14;​
20.24 (8) executive director of the State Board of Investment;​
20.25 (9) deputy of any official listed in clauses (7) and (8);​
20.26 (10) judge of the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals;​
20.27 (11) administrative law judge or compensation judge in the State Office of Administrative​
20.28Hearings or unemployment law judge in the Department of Employment and Economic​
20.29Development;​
20.30 (12) member, regional administrator, division director, general counsel, or operations​
20.31manager of the Metropolitan Council;​
20​Article 2 Sec. 5.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 21.1 (13) member or chief administrator of a metropolitan agency;​
21.2 (14) director of the Division of Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement in the Department​
21.3of Public Safety;​
21.4 (15) member or executive director of the Higher Education Facilities Authority;​
21.5 (16) member of the board of directors or president of Enterprise Minnesota, Inc.;​
21.6 (17) member of the board of directors or executive director of the Minnesota State High​
21.7School League;​
21.8 (18) member of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority established in section 473.755;​
21.9 (19) citizen member of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources;​
21.10 (20) manager of a watershed district, or member of a watershed management organization​
21.11as defined under section 103B.205, subdivision 13;​
21.12 (21) supervisor of a soil and water conservation district;​
21.13 (22) director of Explore Minnesota Tourism;​
21.14 (23) citizen member of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council established in section​
21.1597A.056;​
21.16 (24) citizen member of the Clean Water Council established in section 114D.30;​
21.17 (25) member or chief executive of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority established​
21.18in section 473J.07;​
21.19 (26) district court judge, appeals court judge, or supreme court justice;​
21.20 (27) county commissioner;​
21.21 (28) member of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission;​
21.22 (29) member of the Destination Medical Center Corporation established in section​
21.23469.41; or​
21.24 (30) chancellor or member of the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges​
21.25and Universities; or​
21.26 (31) member of the Redistricting Commission Applicant Screening Panel, or member​
21.27of the Independent Redistricting Commission.​
21.28 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, and applies to the 2030​
21.29redistricting cycle and thereafter, if the constitutional amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
21​Article 2 Sec. 5.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 22.1 Sec. 6. REPEALER.​
22.2 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 2.91, is repealed.​
22.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2030, and applies to the 2030​
22.4redistricting cycle and thereafter, if the constitutional amendments in article 1 are adopted.​
22.5	ARTICLE 3​
22.6 CITIZENS ADVISORY REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.​
22.7 Section 1. [2A.30] REDISTRICTING; DEFINITIONS; ADJUSTMENT OF DATES.​
22.8 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section and sections 2A.31 to 2A.33,​
22.9the following terms have the meanings given.​
22.10 (b) "Applicant pools" means the lists of applicants described in section 2A.31, subdivision​
22.112, paragraph (i).​
22.12 (c) "Executive director" means the executive director of the Legislative Coordinating​
22.13Commission.​
22.14 (d) "GIS office" means the Geographic Information Services Office of the Legislative​
22.15Coordinating Commission.​
22.16 (e) "Largest political party in the state" means the political party whose candidate received​
22.17the greatest number of votes for legislative seats in the state in the most recent general​
22.18election.​
22.19 (f) "Legislative Coordinating Commission" is the entity established in section 3.303.​
22.20 (g) "Second largest political party in the state" means the political party whose candidate​
22.21received the second greatest number of votes for legislative seats in the state in the most​
22.22recent general election.​
22.23 Subd. 2.Adjustment of dates.If any date prescribed in this chapter falls on a Saturday,​
22.24Sunday, or legal holiday, then the date is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday,​
22.25Sunday, or legal holiday.​
22.26Sec. 2. [2A.31] REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.​
22.27 Subdivision 1.Membership.In each year ending in zero, a Citizens Advisory​
22.28Redistricting Commission is created to draw the boundaries of legislative and congressional​
22.29districts in accordance with the principles established in section 2A.32. The redistricting​
22.30commission consists of 15 members of the public.​
22​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 23.1 Subd. 2.Appointment.(a) The application and appointment process for members of​
23.2the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission shall be the process described in section​
23.315.0597, except as otherwise provided by this section.​
23.4 (b) By January 1 of each year ending in zero, the secretary of state shall open a widely​
23.5publicized process and circulate applications in a manner that encourages wide public​
23.6participation of eligible residents from different regions of the state to apply for membership​
23.7on the commission. Applications are public data under chapter 13 and shall be made available​
23.8on the secretary of state's website or a comparable means of communicating with the public.​
23.9Applications must be received by March 1 of the year ending in zero.​
23.10 (c) The secretary of state shall design and provide an application form that must clearly​
23.11state the legal obligations and expectations of potential appointees. Information required of​
23.12applicants must include but is not limited to:​
23.13 (1) a statement from applicants affirming they meet the requirements of subdivision 3;​
23.14 (2) an oath affirming the applicant submits the application declaring the truthfulness of​
23.15its contents under penalty of perjury;​
23.16 (3) the applicant's demographic information, including but not limited to gender, race,​
23.17ethnicity, and year of birth;​
23.18 (4) the applicant's professional background;​
23.19 (5) the applicant's past experience working with others to build consensus;​
23.20 (6) the applicant's level of understanding about Minnesota communities, neighborhoods,​
23.21geographic regions, or demographics across the state;​
23.22 (7) a description of the applicant's past political activity;​
23.23 (8) a list of all political and civic organizations to which the applicant has belonged​
23.24within the five years prior to the application;​
23.25 (9) a statement indicating with which political party the applicant identifies or that the​
23.26applicant identifies with no party. For purposes of this clause, identifying with a political​
23.27party means that the applicant is in general agreement with the principles of the party; and​
23.28 (10) any other information required to determine eligibility to serve on the commission.​
23.29 (d) The secretary of state must review applications as they are received to ensure that​
23.30each application is complete and each applicant has signed the oath attesting to the​
23.31truthfulness of the information contained in the application. No later than March 15 of the​
23.32year ending in zero, the secretary of state must forward the completed application of each​
23​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 24.1eligible person to the executive director. The secretary of state must not forward any​
24.2application that is incomplete or any application by a person who has not signed off on the​
24.3oath attesting to the accuracy of the information contained in the application. If the secretary​
24.4of state does not forward an application, the secretary of state must notify the applicant that​
24.5the applicant's application was not forwarded and the reason why.​
24.6 (e) The Legislative Coordinating Commission executive director shall remove from the​
24.7applicant pool individuals who do not qualify including:​
24.8 (1) a person who has not resided in Minnesota for at least one year prior to their​
24.9application submission or is not eligible to vote;​
24.10 (2) a current member of the legislature or Congress;​
24.11 (3) a person under contract with, who serves as a consultant or staff to, or who has or​
24.12has had an immediate family relationship with the governor, a member of the legislature,​
24.13or a member of Congress during the ten years immediately preceding the date of application;​
24.14 (4) a person who serves or has served during the ten years immediately preceding the​
24.15date of application as a public official, as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 35, clauses​
24.16(1) to (5), (12), (13), (16), (26), and (27); and​
24.17 (5) a person, or member of the person's immediate family, who is or during the ten years​
24.18immediately preceding the date of application has:​
24.19 (i) been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for state office;​
24.20 (ii) served as an officer, employee, contractor, or paid consultant of a political party or​
24.21of the campaign committee of a candidate for elective federal or state office;​
24.22 (iii) served as an elected or appointed member of a political party state committee, as​
24.23defined by section 10A.01, subdivision 36, or a delegate to a national convention of a​
24.24political party;​
24.25 (iv) registered as a lobbyist, registrant, or client with the federal government under the​
24.26Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 as amended or as a state lobbyist or principal with the​
24.27Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board under chapter 10A;​
24.28 (v) served as paid congressional or legislative staff; or​
24.29 (vi) been found by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to have violated​
24.30section 10A.27.​
24.31For the purposes of this subdivision, a member of a person's immediate family means a​
24.32sibling, spouse, or parent, including half, step, and in-law relationships. While serving on​
24​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 25.1the commission, commissioners must not campaign for elective office or actively participate​
25.2in or contribute to a political campaign nor run for federal, state, or local political office for​
25.3a period of up to ten years after the commission expires.​
25.4 (f) By February 15 in the year ending in zero the executive director of the Legislative​
25.5Coordinating Commission shall appoint a Redistricting Advisory Group consisting of, at a​
25.6minimum, the executive directors of the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Council​
25.7for Minnesotans of African Heritage, the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the Council on​
25.8Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans, the Minnesota​
25.9Youth Council, the Minnesota Council on Disability, and the Minnesota Commission of​
25.10the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing.​
25.11 (g) The Redistricting Advisory Group shall serve as advisors to the executive director​
25.12and must work within the process described in paragraph (i), and subdivision 5, clause (8),​
25.13to ensure diversity of applicants throughout the process.​
25.14 (h) Members of the Redistricting Advisory Group must participate in a nonpartisan​
25.15manner and serve without predisposition or bias on issues related to the state's representation​
25.16for redistricting boundaries. The Redistricting Advisory Group must work with the executive​
25.17director as outlined to foster diversity of applicant pools throughout the process and in their​
25.18role as experts on matters pertaining to their respective communities. It is not intended that​
25.19formulas or specific ratios be applied for this purpose.​
25.20 (i) By April 1 of the year ending in zero, the executive director, in consultation with the​
25.21Redistricting Advisory Group, shall jointly screen and sort the applicants into three applicant​
25.22pools: one pool for applicants identifying with the largest political party in this state; one​
25.23pool for applicants identifying with the second largest political party in the state; and one​
25.24pool for applicants identifying with no political party or a political party that is not the​
25.25largest or second largest political party in the state. The executive director must review the​
25.26applicants in each applicant pool and narrow each pool down to 40 applicants based on a​
25.27review of each applicant's relevant analytical skills, the ability to be impartial, and the ability​
25.28to promote consensus on the commission and appreciation for Minnesota's diverse​
25.29demographics, communities, and geography as documented in the application. To the extent​
25.30practicable, the executive director must ensure that each applicant pool reflects the gender,​
25.31socioeconomic, age, racial, language, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the state. Each​
25.32congressional district must be represented by at least two applicants in each applicant pool.​
25.33 (j) If there is an insufficient number of available applicants to select a 40-applicant pool,​
25.34then the pool consists of only those applicants who did meet the requirements.​
25​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 26.1 (k) By April 1 in each year ending in zero, the executive director must provide each​
26.2applicant pool list to the majority leaders and minority leaders of the house of representatives​
26.3and the senate. By April 15 of each year ending in zero, the majority leaders and minority​
26.4leaders of the house of representatives and the senate must each select five applicants from​
26.5their party's list and forward the names of the applicants to the Legislative Coordinating​
26.6Commission's executive director. The executive director must make the list and applications​
26.7available to all legislative leaders. In selecting applicants, the executive director or a leader​
26.8must not select more than one applicant from any congressional district.​
26.9 (l) By April 29 of each year ending in zero, 12 names must be stricken from the list as​
26.10follows:​
26.11 (1) the senate majority leader must strike three applicants from the applicants selected​
26.12by the senate minority leader;​
26.13 (2) the senate minority leader must strike three applicants from the applicants selected​
26.14by the senate majority leader;​
26.15 (3) the house majority leader must strike three applicants from the applicants selected​
26.16by the house minority leader; and​
26.17 (4) the house minority leader must strike three applicants from the applicants selected​
26.18by the house majority leader.​
26.19 (m) The legislative leaders must forward the eight remaining names consisting of four​
26.20applicants identifying with the largest political party in the state and four applicants​
26.21identifying with the second largest political party in the state to the executive director. These​
26.22eight individuals shall serve on the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission.​
26.23 (n) By April 29 of each year ending in zero, the executive director must, by lottery,​
26.24select four applicants from the pool of 40 applicants who do not identify with a party or​
26.25identify with a party other than the first or second largest political party described in​
26.26paragraph (i). Together with the eight individuals selected by the legislative leaders, these​
26.27twelve individuals shall serve on the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission.​
26.28 (o) No later than May 15 in each year ending in the number zero, the twelve advisory​
26.29commissioners shall convene and assess the commission's demographic diversity within​
26.30the twelve members and must review and select six more applicants from the remaining​
26.31applicants from the pool of 40 applicants originally selected by legislative leadership and​
26.32appoint six applicants to the commission as follows: two from the remaining pool of​
26.33applicants identifying with the largest political party in Minnesota, two from the remaining​
26​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 27.1pool of applicants identifying with the second largest political party in Minnesota, and two​
27.2from the remaining pool of applicants identifying with no political party or with a political​
27.3party that is not the largest or second largest political party in Minnesota. The six individuals​
27.4must be approved by at least two-thirds affirmative votes which must include at least two​
27.5votes of commissioners registered from each of the two largest parties and two votes from​
27.6commissioners who are not affiliated with either of the two largest political parties in​
27.7Minnesota. These six new appointees shall be chosen to ensure the Citizens Advisory​
27.8Redistricting Commission reflects this state's diversity, including but not limited to racial,​
27.9ethnic, geographic, and gender diversity. However, it is not intended that formulas or specific​
27.10ratios be applied for this purpose.​
27.11 (p) The executive director of the Legislative Coordinating Commission shall report the​
27.1215 names selected to the secretary of state. These 15 individuals shall serve as members of​
27.13the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission and shall not include more than two​
27.14commissioners from any one congressional district.​
27.15 (q) The secretary of state's actions under this subdivision are not subject to chapter 14.​
27.16 (r) Before serving on the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission, every person​
27.17shall take and subscribe an oath to faithfully perform the duties of that office. The oath must​
27.18be filed with the secretary of state.​
27.19 Subd. 3.Eligibility of public members.(a) A person is eligible to serve if the person​
27.20has been a resident of Minnesota for at least a year at the time of the submission of the​
27.21application and is not an elected official.​
27.22 (b) The following persons are not eligible to serve as a commissioner:​
27.23 (1) a person who is not eligible to vote in the state of Minnesota;​
27.24 (2) a current member of the legislature or Congress;​
27.25 (3) a person under contract with, who serves as a consultant or staff to, or who has or​
27.26has had an immediate family relationship with the governor, a member of the legislature,​
27.27or a member of Congress during the ten years immediately preceding the date of application;​
27.28 (4) a person who serves or has served during the ten years immediately preceding the​
27.29date of application as a public official, as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 35, clauses​
27.30(1) to (5), (12), (13), (16), (26), and (27); and​
27.31 (5) a person, or member of the person's immediate family, who is or during the ten years​
27.32immediately preceding the date of application has:​
27​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 28.1 (i) been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for federal or state office;​
28.2 (ii) served as an officer, employee, contractor, or paid consultant of a political party or​
28.3of the campaign committee of a candidate for elective federal or state office;​
28.4 (iii) served as an elected or appointed member of a political party state committee, as​
28.5defined by section 10A.01, subdivision 36, or a delegate to a national convention of a​
28.6political party;​
28.7 (iv) registered as a lobbyist, registrant, or client with the federal government under the​
28.8Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 as amended or as a state lobbyist or principal with the​
28.9Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board under chapter 10A;​
28.10 (v) served as paid congressional or legislative staff; or​
28.11 (vi) been found by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to have violated​
28.12section 10A.27.​
28.13 (c) While serving on the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission, commissioners​
28.14must not campaign for elective office or actively participate in or contribute to a political​
28.15campaign nor run for state or local political office for a period of up to ten years after the​
28.16Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission expires.​
28.17 (d) For the purposes of this subdivision, a member of a person's immediate family means​
28.18a sibling, spouse, or parent, including half, step, and in-law relationships.​
28.19 Subd. 4.Removal; filling vacancies.(a) Each commissioner shall serve for the entire​
28.20term of the commission unless the commissioner is removed or otherwise vacates the office.​
28.21 (b) A commissioner's position on the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission is​
28.22deemed vacant if the commissioner, having been appointed as a registered elector who is​
28.23not affiliated with a political party, affiliates with a political party before the Minnesota​
28.24Legislature has approved a plan pursuant to subdivision 25. A commissioner's position on​
28.25the Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission is also deemed vacant if the commissioner,​
28.26having been affiliated with one of the state's two largest political parties at the time of​
28.27appointment, affiliates with a different political party or becomes unaffiliated with any​
28.28political party before the Minnesota Legislature has approved a plan pursuant to subdivision​
28.2925.​
28.30 (c) The removal of an officer from an officer position requires a two-thirds affirmative​
28.31vote with at least one commissioner identifying with the largest political party in the state,​
28.32one commissioner identifying with the second largest political party in the state, and one​
28​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 29.1commissioner identifying with no political party or with a political party that is not the​
29.2largest or second largest in the state.​
29.3 (d) If the basis for the commissioner's removal is the commissioner's refusal to vote as​
29.4part of a collective effort to disrupt the process or vote of the commission, the member or​
29.5members may be removed after a finding by the chair as described in this section and a​
29.6two-thirds vote of those commissioners present.​
29.7 (e) Removal of a member takes place immediately after a finding by the chair and must​
29.8be by a two-thirds vote of all members of the advisory commission, including at least one​
29.9member identifying with the largest political party in the state, one member identifying with​
29.10the second largest political party in the state, and one member identifying with no political​
29.11party or with a political party that is not the largest or second largest in the state.​
29.12 (f) After notice and a hearing, the advisory commission may also remove a commissioner​
29.13for malfeasance or nonfeasance during the term of service in the performance of the duties​
29.14of the advisory commission or for missing three consecutive meetings. After the second​
29.15consecutive missed meeting and before the next meeting, the chair or a designee must notify​
29.16the commissioner in writing that the member may be removed for missing the next meeting.​
29.17The definitions in section 211C.01 apply to this subdivision.​
29.18 (g) The chair must submit a written notice to the Legislative Coordinating Commission​
29.19executive director stating the grounds that another member's office should be declared vacant​
29.20under this subdivision. This written notice shall: (1) be dated and signed; and (2) provide​
29.21a detailed factual basis in support of the allegations causing the removal of another member.​
29.22The factual basis shall include the specific facts and factual foundation on which the removal​
29.23is based. Supporting documentation, if any, shall be included.​
29.24 (h) Any vacancy on the advisory commission, including one that occurs due to death,​
29.25mental incapacity, resignation, criminal conviction of a serious crime, removal, failure to​
29.26meet the qualifications of appointment, refusal or inability to accept an appointment, or​
29.27having been found to have participated in a communication prohibited by subdivision 20​
29.28or 21 or conduct prohibited by subdivision 22, or otherwise, must be filled as soon as​
29.29possible, but no later than seven days after the vacancy occurred, by the executive director​
29.30from the designated pool of eligible applicants for that commissioner's position and in the​
29.31same manner as the originally chosen commissioner, except that no commissioner chosen​
29.32to fill a vacancy would be bypassed for appointment if all congressional districts are​
29.33represented by at least one commissioner. If no remaining finalists described in the same​
29.34pool under subdivision 2, paragraph (i), are available for service, the secretary of state shall​
29​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 30.1open the application process again and the executive director shall establish a new list of​
30.2applicants, as provided in subdivision 2.​
30.3 Subd. 5.Duties.Each commissioner shall perform their duties in a manner that is​
30.4impartial and reinforces public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process.​
30.5Commissioners must disclose the presence of a conflict of interest, or raise a potential​
30.6conflict of interest when the agenda item is called, prior to the start of discussion or​
30.7deliberation. In addition to other duties prescribed by law, the advisory commission shall:​
30.8 (1) attend nonpartisan redistricting training held by a nationally recognized nonpartisan​
30.9organization or the Legislative Coordinating Commission;​
30.10 (2) attend training on the Minnesota Data Practices Act and Open Meetings Act;​
30.11 (3) determine its own rules and order. Within ten weeks of being established, the Citizens​
30.12Advisory Redistricting Commission must adopt administrative rules to govern the​
30.13commission's process. The rules must be adopted at an open meeting, with advance notice​
30.14of the meeting, and members of the public must be provided with an opportunity to provide​
30.15comment on the rules. The procedures and rules referenced in this subdivision are not subject​
30.16to chapter 14 or section 14.386.​
30.17A member who has a conflict between a personal interest and the public interest in the​
30.18procurement process of securing staff, consultants, general counsel, or any other professional​
30.19services, shall fully disclose to the commission in writing as soon as they learn of the​
30.20potential conflict of interest the nature of the conflict. A member shall not participate in the​
30.21discussion or deliberation or vote upon any matter if a conflict exists;​
30.22 (4) adopt procedures and rules to carry out the provisions of this section and any laws​
30.23enacted by the legislature, including the procurement of professional services such as GIS,​
30.24general counsel, and other subject matter expert staff. These procedures and rules are not​
30.25subject to chapter 14 or section 14.386;​
30.26 (5) act as the legislature's recipient of the final redistricting data and other files relevant​
30.27to redistricting from the United States Census Bureau;​
30.28 (6) comply with requirements to disclose and preserve public records, as specified in​
30.29the Data Practices Act, chapter 13, and section 138.17;​
30.30 (7) hold open meetings and public hearings throughout the state pursuant to the Open​
30.31Meetings Law, chapter 13D;​
30.32 (8) work with the Redistricting Advisory Group to host a minimum of eight statewide​
30.33informational town halls at community locations most likely to be known by individuals​
30​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 31.1living in the community and at a time most likely to reasonably yield the highest attendance,​
31.2allowing for basic information regarding the role of the advisory commission, how​
31.3commission members were selected, and why community member participation matters in​
31.4the redistricting process;​
31.5 (9) provide public notice at least seven days in advance of any public meeting or public​
31.6hearing. The notice and agenda must be posted on the commission's website and published​
31.7in local news sources. The public notice shall also be disseminated leveraging social media,​
31.8media frequently used by disenfranchised Minnesotans, or other community-based​
31.9communication channels. The advisory commission may also partner with community-based​
31.10nonpartisan organizations in an effort to more widely disseminate the notice to directly​
31.11impacted communities. The notice and agenda must be provided in all languages required​
31.12for voting materials under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, United States Code, title​
31.1352, section 10503, in the congressional district in which the public meeting is scheduled;​
31.14 (10) publish a draft agenda at least 72 hours before each public meeting or hearing;​
31.15 (11) prepare and publish a report before any public meeting or hearing and no later than​
31.16ten weeks after all members of the advisory commission are appointed that describes the​
31.17commission's general priorities and intentions for utilizing redistricting criteria in its​
31.18decision-making process, including a discussion on how the commission will balance​
31.19competing requirements;​
31.20 (12) adopt a schedule for interested persons to submit proposed plans and to respond to​
31.21plans proposed by others. The redistricting commission shall also adopt standards to govern​
31.22the format of plans submitted. Adoption of the schedule and standards under this subdivision​
31.23is not subject to chapter 14 or section 14.386. The advisory commission must post submitted​
31.24plans to its website as soon as practicable;​
31.25 (13) subject to subdivisions 20 and 21, provide direction to commission staff on drawing​
31.26maps;​
31.27 (14) subject to subdivisions 20 and 21, review and direct modifications of maps to​
31.28commission staff;​
31.29 (15) prepare and publish reports on the following:​
31.30 (i) all plans discussed by the full advisory commission, including all publicly submitted​
31.31plans and draft plans;​
31.32 (ii) a summary of all public input received in each comment period;​
31.33 (iii) a summary of the data the advisory commission used to create those plans;​
31​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 32.1 (iv) analysis of the maps using redistricting metrics; and​
32.2 (v) any other information that provides the basis on which the advisory commission​
32.3made decisions to achieve compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements;​
32.4 (16) make reasonable efforts to schedule hearings in the evenings, on weekends, and at​
32.5other times that most residents in that region are able to attend;​
32.6 (17) whenever possible, use technology that allows for real-time virtual participation​
32.7and feedback for all hearings. All audiovisual recordings of the advisory commission public​
32.8meetings and public hearings must be maintained on the commission's website indefinitely;​
32.9 (18) make reasonable efforts to make available translation and interpreter services for​
32.10limited English-speaking individuals and those needing accommodations in compliance​
32.11with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The redistricting commission may contract with​
32.12an entity that provides interpreter services through telephonic and video remote technologies;​
32.13and​
32.14 (19) provide notices of the availability of both plans and reports in all languages required​
32.15for voting materials under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1964, United States Code, title​
32.1652, section 10503, and as required for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act​
32.17for each congressional district.​
32.18 Subd. 6.Rules of order.Advisory commission meetings shall be conducted according​
32.19to the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, subject to any procedures to the contrary​
32.20set forth in these rules, applicable law, or such other rules adopted by the commission.​
32.21 Subd. 7.Quorum.(a) A quorum must be present to conduct the business of the advisory​
32.22commission meetings and hold public hearings. The quorum shall consist of twelve members,​
32.23including at least one member affiliated with each of the major parties and one nonaffiliated​
32.24member.​
32.25 (b) If there is not a quorum due to a collective effort by one or more commissioners to​
32.26disrupt the work, process, or vote of the commission, a quorum consists of the majority of​
32.27commissioners. The requirement for at least one member from each majority party and one​
32.28nonaffiliated member is not applicable under this circumstance.​
32.29 Subd. 8.Minutes.Minutes of all meetings, including votes on all official actions taken​
32.30at those meetings, shall be kept by the Legislative Coordinating Commission. All decisions​
32.31of the advisory commission shall be recorded, and the record of its decisions shall be readily​
32.32available to any member of the public as required by law and shall be provided without​
32.33charge.​
32​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 33.1 Subd. 9.Journal of proceedings.An account of all proceedings and the public record​
33.2of the advisory commission shall be kept by the Legislative Coordinating Commission and​
33.3shall constitute the official record of the advisory commission and be posted to the​
33.4commission's website.​
33.5 Subd. 10.Right of floor.Any member desiring to speak shall be recognized by the​
33.6chair, or vice-chair when the chair is not present, and shall confine their remarks to one​
33.7subject under consideration or to be considered.​
33.8 Subd. 11.Right to general counsel.The Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission​
33.9has a right to retain general counsel. The general counsel of the advisory commission shall​
33.10be experienced and knowledgeable in the area of election law and voting rights and attend​
33.11all meetings of the commission unless excused. The general counsel shall, upon request,​
33.12give an opinion, either written or oral, on questions of law. The general counsel may make​
33.13recommendations to the commission and shall have the right to take part in all public​
33.14discussions of the commission but shall have no vote. General counsel shall act as​
33.15parliamentarian of the commission and serve as its designated data practices act responsible​
33.16authority in lieu of the executive director.​
33.17 Subd. 12.Voting.(a) Except as otherwise provided in these rules or by law,​
33.18administrative actions including calling to order, adjourning, scheduling hearings, and other​
33.19such actions shall require the approval of a majority of commissioners entitled to vote. The​
33.20vote is required for the following actions.​
33.21 (b) A majority of the appointed commissioners must approve rules and procedural​
33.22decisions.​
33.23 (c) Election of the chair and vice-chair requires a two-thirds affirmative vote with at​
33.24least one commissioner identifying with the largest political party in the state, one​
33.25commissioner identifying with the second largest political party in the state, and one​
33.26commissioner identifying with no political party or with a political party that is not the​
33.27largest or second largest in the state.​
33.28 (d) Adoption of the final plan for submission to the Minnesota Legislature and the​
33.29adoption of a revised plan after a plan is returned to the advisory commission from the​
33.30Minnesota Legislature require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of commissioners with at​
33.31least one commissioner identifying with the largest political party in the state, one​
33.32commissioner identifying with the second largest political party in the state, and one​
33.33commissioner identifying with no political party or with a political party that is not the​
33.34largest or second largest in the state.​
33​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 34.1 Subd. 13.Duty to vote; abstaining.(a) Commissioners present at a meeting shall vote​
34.2on every matter before the commission, unless otherwise excused or prohibited from voting​
34.3as follows:​
34.4 (1) a commissioner may abstain from voting if the commissioner:​
34.5 (i) has a conflict of interest, as set forth in subdivision 5, or as defined by law. An​
34.6individual commissioner shall disclose the presence of a conflict of interest or raise a potential​
34.7conflict of interest when the agenda item is called, prior to the start of discussion or​
34.8deliberation. Should a conflict of interest become clear during the discussion, the​
34.9commissioner shall raise the existence of an actual or potential conflict at that time. An​
34.10individual commissioner may seek the opinion of the general counsel with experience and​
34.11expertise in the area of election law and voting rights on whether a conflict exists. This​
34.12opinion shall not be binding on the commission. The Citizens Advisory Redistricting​
34.13Commission shall decide, by majority vote of commissioners present, whether a conflict of​
34.14interest exists. A vote may be tabled, if necessary, to obtain the opinion of the general​
34.15counsel. A commissioner with a conflict of interest is prohibited from participating in any​
34.16discussion, debate, or decision on that issue; or​
34.17 (ii) lacks sufficient information about the issue to be decided. If a commissioner abstains​
34.18for this reason, they shall state for the record their intention to abstain and the reasons for​
34.19doing so prior to the vote. The abstaining commissioner shall not be restricted or prohibited​
34.20from participating in any discussion or debate on the issue; and​
34.21 (2) if any commissioner abstains from voting, a roll call vote shall be required on that​
34.22issue. The reasons for the abstention shall be entered into the minutes of the meeting at​
34.23which the vote is taken and be part of the official record.​
34.24 (b) The right to vote is limited to the commissioners present at the time the vote is taken.​
34.25Voting by proxy is prohibited.​
34.26 (c) All votes must be held and determined in public. Secret ballots are prohibited.​
34.27 (d) Prior to calling for a vote, the chair shall state the question being voted upon.​
34.28 Subd. 14.Manner of voting.Except as otherwise provided in these rules or by law,​
34.29voting shall be by a two-thirds affirmative vote using voice vote, roll call, or show of hands.​
34.30Roll call votes shall be taken when required in this section or by law, at the request of any​
34.31commissioner, or when the chair cannot determine the results of a voice vote.​
34.32 Subd. 15.Chair and vice-chair.(a) The Citizens Advisory Redistricting Commission​
34.33must elect a chair and vice-chair from among its members by a vote under subdivision 12,​
34​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 35.1paragraph (c). The chair and vice-chair shall not self-identify as belonging to the same​
35.2political party.​
35.3 (b) The nomination and election of the chair occurs first and the vice-chair occurs second.​
35.4 (c) All candidates must be given an equal amount of time to speak in support of their​
35.5candidacy, to be followed by a period of questions and answers.​
35.6 (d) The chair shall:​
35.7 (1) call to order and preside at all meetings;​
35.8 (2) preserve order and decorum and may speak to points of order in preference to other​
35.9commissioners;​
35.10 (3) decide all questions arising under this parliamentary authority in consultation with​
35.11the general counsel, subject to appeal and reversal by a majority of the commissioners​
35.12present;​
35.13 (4) enforce rules of procedure;​
35.14 (5) perform any other administrative or agenda duties as directed by the advisory​
35.15commission;​
35.16 (6) have all the same rights as other commissioners with respect to procedural matters,​
35.17debate, and voting except that the chair shall not vote on the appeal of a parliamentary ruling​
35.18by the chair;​
35.19 (7) approve expenditures associated with the commission for any individual expenditure​
35.20in excess of $5,000;​
35.21 (8) when both the chair and vice-chair are absent, designate another of its commissioners​
35.22to serve as acting chair during such absence or disability; and​
35.23 (9) establish committees and subcommittees by a majority vote of the commission with​
35.24the support of at least one vote from a member identifying with the largest political party​
35.25in the state, one vote from a member identifying with the second largest political party in​
35.26the state, and one vote from a member identifying with no political party or with a political​
35.27party that is not the largest or second largest in the state.​
35.28 (e) The vice-chair shall perform the duties of the chair when the chair is unavailable,​
35.29except as otherwise provided by law. The vice-chair shall act in the capacity of the chair in​
35.30the chair's absence. The vice-chair shall help facilitate group discussion on items before the​
35.31advisory commission. The vice-chair is also responsible for other duties as designated by​
35.32the chair.​
35​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 36.1 Subd. 16.Secretary.The executive director, or their designee, is secretary to the advisory​
36.2commission without vote and, in that capacity, shall keep the official record of all proceedings​
36.3of the commission and furnish, under the direction of the commission, all technical services​
36.4that the commission deems necessary. The duties of the secretary shall also include:​
36.5 (1) facilitating the process for the selection of commissioners pursuant to subdivision​
36.62, paragraphs (e) to (p), and replacement of commissioners pursuant to subdivision 4,​
36.7paragraph (h);​
36.8 (2) issuing a call convening the advisory commission by January 1 in the year of the​
36.9federal decennial census;​
36.10 (3) publishing the redistricting plan for each type of district adopted under subdivision​
36.1125 within 30 days of the adoption of the plan. This publication shall include the plan and​
36.12the material reports, reference materials, and data used in drawing it, including any​
36.13programming information used to produce and test the plan. The published materials shall​
36.14be such that an independent person is able to replicate the conclusion without any​
36.15modification of any of the published materials;​
36.16 (4) maintaining a public record of all proceedings of the advisory commission and​
36.17publishing and distributing each plan and required documentation. An adopted redistricting​
36.18plan shall become law upon submission to the secretary of state absent any legal action​
36.19resulting in a court finding constitutional violations and ordering new maps be drawn; and​
36.20 (5) taking and maintaining minutes of all advisory commission meetings including votes​
36.21on all official actions taken at those meetings. All decisions of the commission shall be​
36.22recorded, and the record of its decisions shall be readily available to any member of the​
36.23public as required by law and shall be provided without charge.​
36.24 Subd. 17.Orientation and training.(a) Orientation for members of the advisory​
36.25commission shall be coordinated by the Legislative Coordinating Commission.​
36.26 (b) Commissioners shall receive nonpartisan orientation, ongoing education, and training​
36.27on the purposes and activities of the advisory commission. Information may be presented​
36.28in a manner most convenient or useful to the commission including the use of interactive​
36.29or subject-matter expert presentations. Training should include insights from other states​
36.30operating under advisory citizens commissions.​
36.31 (c) Orientation shall be coordinated by nonpartisan Legislative Coordinating Commission​
36.32staff and must be completed within four weeks of the commission being formed.​
36​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 37.1 Subd. 18.Employment of personnel.The advisory commission shall be compensated​
37.2as prescribed in law. The Legislative Coordination Commission must provide the commission​
37.3with the services of nonpartisan experts, consultants, and support staff, as necessary to carry​
37.4out its duties pursuant to this section.​
37.5 Subd. 19.Public hearings in diverse state regions.(a) Prior to adopting a legislative​
37.6or congressional districting plan, the advisory commission must hold a minimum of 16​
37.7public hearings throughout the state, with at least eight hearings held before adopting​
37.8preliminary drafts of legislative or congressional district plans. The primary purpose of the​
37.9first eight public hearings is to request public input on how to define communities of interest​
37.10and to provide an opportunity for public comment from residents of that part of the state.​
37.11The commission must make reasonable efforts to schedule hearings in the evenings, on​
37.12weekends, and at other times that most residents of that region are able to attend.​
37.13 (b) By February 15 of each year ending in one, the advisory commission must hold at​
37.14least eight public hearings in diverse regions of the state, including southern Minnesota,​
37.15central Minnesota, Northern Minnesota, and the Twin Cities Metro Area, before adopting​
37.16preliminary drafts of legislative or congressional district plans. The primary purpose of​
37.17these first public hearings in each location is to request advice on how to define communities​
37.18of interest and to provide an opportunity for public testimony from residents of that​
37.19community. The commission must make reasonable efforts to schedule hearings in the​
37.20evenings, on weekends, and at other times that most residents from that region are able to​
37.21attend.​
37.22 (c) After completing the first round of public hearings to get public input on communities​
37.23of interest, the advisory commission must publish on its website preliminary drafts of the​
37.24legislative and congressional district plans. The commission also must publish the reports​
37.25for each preliminary draft prior to hearings discussing that draft. The advisory commission​
37.26must allow the public at least 14 days to submit comments to the commission after​
37.27publication. After those 14 days, the commission must then hold at least one additional​
37.28public hearing to allow for open public input and comment. Nonpartisan GIS experts,​
37.29consultants, and support staff shall be present to hear and consider public comment on the​
37.30proposed plans. The commission may require its general counsel to attend.​
37.31 (d) The advisory commission must make reasonable efforts to allow the public to submit​
37.32written testimony prior to a hearing and make copies of that testimony available to all​
37.33commissioners and the public prior to and at the hearings.​
37​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 38.1 Subd. 20.Internal communications.(a) The advisory commission may designate one​
38.2or more commission staff to communicate with commissioners regarding administrative​
38.3matters and may define the scope of the permitted communication. The designation must​
38.4be announced at the next public hearing following the designation.​
38.5 (b) A commissioner must not direct, request, suggest, or recommend to staff an​
38.6interpretation of a districting principle or a change to a district boundary, except during an​
38.7open meeting of the commission. Communication between retained counsel and members​
38.8of the commission or the designated commission staff does not violate the provisions of​
38.9this section.​
38.10 Subd. 21.External communications.(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b),​
38.11commissioners and staff must not communicate with anyone outside the commission​
38.12regarding the content of a plan, except at an open meeting of the commission or when​
38.13soliciting or receiving written communications regarding a plan that is the subject of a public​
38.14hearing.​
38.15 (b) The following external communications are expressly permitted:​
38.16 (1) a communication of general information about the commission, proceedings of the​
38.17commission, or redistricting, including questions or requests for information and responses​
38.18to or from commission staff;​
38.19 (2) testimony or documents submitted by a person for use at a public hearing;​
38.20 (3) a report submitted under subdivision 5, clause (11); and​
38.21 (4) a communication required by chapter 13 or 13D.​
38.22 Subd. 22.Prohibitions on gifts and gratuities.The advisory commission, individual​
38.23commissioners, staff, attorneys, experts, and consultants may not directly or indirectly solicit​
38.24or accept any gift or loan of money, goods, services, or other thing of value greater than $5​
38.25for the benefit of any person or organization, which may influence the manner in which the​
38.26individual commissioner, staff, attorney, expert, or consultant performs their duties.​
38.27 Subd. 23.Reports of improper activity.(a) Advisory commission staff shall report to​
38.28the commission any attempt to exert improper influence over the staff in drafting plans.​
38.29 (b) A commissioner or commission staff shall report to the advisory commission chair​
38.30and vice-chair any prohibited communication. The report must include a copy of a written​
38.31communication or a written summary of an oral communication.​
38​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 39.1 (c) A report under this subdivision must be made no later than three business days after​
39.2the attempt to exert improper influence or the prohibited communication, or before the next​
39.3meeting of the commission, whichever is earlier. If special circumstances make this​
39.4requirement impracticable, the report must be made at the following meeting of the​
39.5commission.​
39.6 Subd. 24.Data used.(a) The advisory commission shall use census data representing​
39.7the entire population of this state to draw congressional and legislative districts. Except​
39.8when required by law or for the purposes of drawing districts in compliance with provisions​
39.9of state or federal law, citizen voting age or citizen population must not be used as the​
39.10method to calculate population equality. The commission may also consider demographic​
39.11trend data provided by the Minnesota state demographer and relevant election data.​
39.12 (b) The advisory commission shall use population data that reflects incarcerated persons​
39.13at their last known residence before incarceration.​
39.14 Subd. 25.Deadlines.(a) After completing the public hearings required by subdivision​
39.1519, but by May 1 of each year ending in one, the advisory commission shall submit plans​
39.16and its reports to the legislature for legislative and congressional districts. Each plan must​
39.17be accompanied by a report summarizing information and testimony received by the​
39.18redistricting commission in the course of the hearings and include any comments and​
39.19conclusions the advisory commission deems appropriate on the information and testimony​
39.20received at the hearings or otherwise presented. To submit a plan to the legislature, the​
39.21advisory commission must approve the plan by an affirmative vote of twelve members or​
39.22more, including at least one member identifying with the largest political party in the state,​
39.23one member identifying with the second largest political party in the state, and one member​
39.24identifying with no political party or with a political party that is not the largest or second​
39.25largest in the state. When the advisory commission approves a plan, the plan and its reports​
39.26must be published to the advisory commission's website.​
39.27 (b) The legislature intends that a bill be introduced to enact each plan received from the​
39.28advisory commission and that the bill be brought to a vote within one week in either the​
39.29senate or the house of representatives under a procedure or rule permitting no amendment.​
39.30The legislature further intends that the bill be brought to a vote in the second house within​
39.31one week after final passage in the first house.​
39.32 (c) If the secretary of the senate or chief clerk of the house of representatives notifies​
39.33the advisory commission that the first plan has failed, or the governor vetoes the first plan,​
39.34the commission shall submit a second plan within two weeks after it receives the notice. If​
39​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 40.1the legislature has adjourned the regular session in the year ending in one before the​
40.2commission submits a second plan, and no special session is called before October 1 to​
40.3consider the second plan, then the commission must submit the second plan to the legislature​
40.4before October 1 to be considered at the opening of its regular session in the year ending​
40.5in two. The legislature intends that the second plan be considered by the legislature under​
40.6the same procedure provided for a first plan under paragraph (b).​
40.7 (d) If the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives notifies​
40.8the advisory commission that a second plan has failed, or the governor vetoes a second plan,​
40.9the commission shall submit a third plan within two weeks after it receives the notice. If​
40.10the legislature has adjourned the regular session in the year ending in one, before the​
40.11commission submits a third plan, and there is no special session called before October 1 to​
40.12consider the third plan, then the commission must submit the third plan to the legislature​
40.13before October 1 to be considered at the opening of its regular session in the year ending​
40.14in two. The legislature intends that the third plan be considered by the legislature under the​
40.15same procedure provided for the first and second plans under paragraph (b) whether it is​
40.16being considered during the regular or a special session with the exception that amendments​
40.17by the legislature may be proposed.​
40.18 (e) If the advisory commission cannot reach an agreement on a plan for any reason, the​
40.19commission shall use the following procedure to adopt a plan for that type of district:​
40.20 (1) each commissioner may submit one proposed plan for each type of district to the​
40.21full commission for consideration;​
40.22 (2) each commissioner shall rank the plans submitted according to preference. Each plan​
40.23shall be assigned a point value inverse to its ranking among the number of choices, giving​
40.24the lowest ranked plan one point and the highest ranked plan a point value equal to the​
40.25number of plans submitted; and​
40.26 (3) the advisory commission shall adopt the plan receiving the highest total points, that​
40.27is also ranked among the top half of plans by at least two commissioners not affiliated with​
40.28the party of the commissioner submitting the plan or, in the case of a plan submitted by​
40.29nonaffiliated commissioners, is ranked among the top half of plans by at least two​
40.30commissioners affiliated with a major party. If plans are tied for the highest point total, the​
40.31executive director shall by lottery select the final plan from those plans.​
40.32 (f) If the legislature and governor have not approved a plan by October 1 of the year​
40.33ending in one, then the advisory commission must submit a map approved by the commission​
40.34to the Minnesota Supreme Court for review for adherence to state constitution and statutes.​
40​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 41.1 (g) If the legislature and governor have neither rejected the commission plans three​
41.2times, nor approved the commission plans by the statutory required date for plan approval​
41.3as provided in section 204B.14, and the court has found the commission plan to meet all​
41.4legal requirements, then the court shall order implementation of the commission plan in the​
41.5absence of a legislative plan.​
41.6 (h) Final approval of all plans, whether enacted by the legislature or as provided by court​
41.7order, must take place no later than the date provided in section 204B.14, subdivision 1a.​
41.8 (i) Notwithstanding subdivision 30, the established advisory commission must complete​
41.9its activity by October 1 in each year ending in one. Upon final approval of the advisory​
41.10commission's adopted plan by the legislature and governor, the plan must be communicated​
41.11to the secretary of state. The plan becomes effective for the following election upon filing​
41.12with the secretary of state. The commission must also publish the adopted plans and the​
41.13related reports on the redistricting commission's website.​
41.14 Subd. 26.Activity and evaluation report.Within 30 days of the enactment into law​
41.15or adoption by court order of both a legislative plan and a congressional plan, the advisory​
41.16commission must submit a report to the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the​
41.17secretary of the senate, the majority and minority leaders of each house of the legislature,​
41.18and the governor. At a minimum, the report must include a summary of the commission's​
41.19work, including the information required in subdivision 5, clause (15), and any recommended​
41.20changes to laws affecting redistricting. The report must also inform the legislature if the​
41.21commission determines that funds or other resources provided for the operation of the​
41.22commission were inadequate. A commissioner who voted against a redistricting plan may​
41.23submit a dissenting report, which shall be issued with the commission's report. The​
41.24commission must publish the report on its website.​
41.25 Subd. 27.Criminal liability as public officers.Members of the advisory commission​
41.26exercise the functions of a public officer for the purposes of sections 609.415 to 609.4751.​
41.27 Subd. 28.Data.The advisory commission is subject to chapter 13, except that a plan is​
41.28not public data until it has been submitted to the advisory commission for its consideration.​
41.29 Subd. 29.Lobbyist registration.Action by the redistricting commission is administrative​
41.30action for the purposes of section 10A.01, subdivisions 2 and 21.​
41.31 Subd. 30.Expiration.(a) The advisory commission expires 45 days after:​
41.32 (1) both a legislative and a congressional redistricting plan have been enacted into law​
41.33or adopted by court order; and​
41​Article 3 Sec. 2.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 42.1 (2) any legal challenges to the plans have been resolved.​
42.2 (b) If a court enjoins the use of a plan after the advisory commission expires, the court​
42.3enjoining the plan may direct a new commission to be appointed under this section to draft​
42.4a remedial plan for presentation to the legislature in accordance with deadlines established​
42.5by the court's order.​
42.6 Sec. 3. [2A.32] REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES.​
42.7 Subdivision 1.Districting principles.The prohibitions and principles in this section​
42.8apply to both legislative and congressional districts.​
42.9 Subd. 2.Prohibitions(a) Districts must not be drawn to violate the Fourteenth and​
42.10Fifteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution or the Voting Rights Act of 1965,​
42.11as amended.​
42.12 (b) Districts must not be drawn to purposefully favor or disfavor a candidate or incumbent.​
42.13 (c) Districts must not be drawn using voter registration, voter turnout, voting history, or​
42.14party preference, including participation in the presidential nominating primary, general​
42.15election, voting patterns, and primary voting patterns, except for the purposes of verifying​
42.16the compliance of maps with the requirements of this section and of issuing the reports​
42.17required by section 2A.31.​
42.18 (d) Districts must not be drawn using the location of incumbents' or candidates' residences.​
42.19 (e) Districts must not be drawn using data subject to reporting or regulation under chapter​
42.2010A; section 201.091, subdivision 4a; United States Code, title 52, subtitle III; or United​
42.21States Code, title 26, subtitle H.​
42.22 (f) Districts must not be drawn with the effect of unduly favoring or disfavoring any​
42.23political party. Districts shall be subjected to a test of partisan fairness using the standard​
42.24of proportionality as the benchmark for fairness. Using four recent statewide elections, any​
42.25proposed Congressional or legislative plan must be close to achieving major-party seat share​
42.26proportional to the corresponding share of the popular vote in at least three out of the four​
42.27contests. The standard of closeness is one seat for Congressional contests and seven​
42.28percentage points for legislative contests. If a plan fails to meet this standard, it triggers a​
42.29rebuttable presumption of excessive partisan advantage. This may be rebutted if a court​
42.30determines that the degree of disproportionality was necessary in order to reasonably balance​
42.31the rules and criteria in effect for redistricting.​
42​Article 3 Sec. 3.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 43.1 Subd. 3.Priority of principles.Districts must be drawn in accordance with the principles​
43.2in this section. If districts cannot be drawn fully in accordance with the principles, a​
43.3districting plan must give priority to those principles in the order in which they are listed,​
43.4except when doing so would violate federal or state law.​
43.5 Subd. 4.Population equality.(a) Each congressional district must be as nearly equal​
43.6in population as practicable.​
43.7 (b) Each legislative district must be substantially equal in population. The population​
43.8of a legislative district must not deviate by more than plus or minus five percent from the​
43.9population of the ideal district.​
43.10 Subd. 5.Minority representation.(a) Districts must not dilute or diminish the equal​
43.11opportunity of racial, ethnic, and language minorities to participate in the political process​
43.12and to elect candidates of their choice, whether alone or in coalition with others.​
43.13 (b) Districts must provide racial minorities and language minorities who constitute less​
43.14than a voting-age majority of a district with an equal opportunity to substantially influence​
43.15the outcome of an election.​
43.16 Subd. 6.Preservation of Native Nations.The reservation lands of a federally recognized​
43.17Native Nation must be preserved to the extent practicable. Discontiguous portions of a​
43.18federally recognized Native Nation's reservation lands must be included in the same district​
43.19and must not be divided more than necessary to meet constitutional requirements.​
43.20 Subd. 7.Communities of interest.Districts must minimize the division of identifiable​
43.21communities of interest. A community of interest may include a racial, ethnic, or linguistic​
43.22group or any group with shared experiences and concerns, including but not limited to​
43.23geographic, governmental, regional, social, cultural, historic, socioeconomic, occupational,​
43.24trade, environmental, or transportation interests. Communities of interest shall not include​
43.25relationships with political parties, incumbents, or candidates.​
43.26 Subd. 8.Convenience and contiguity.Each district must be convenient and contiguous.​
43.27A district is convenient if it allows reasonable ease of travel within the district. Contiguity​
43.28by water is sufficient if the water is not a serious obstacle to travel within the district. A​
43.29district with areas that touch only at a point is not contiguous.​
43.30 Subd. 9.Nesting.A representative district must not be divided in the formation of a​
43.31senate district.​
43.32 Subd. 10.Political subdivisions.Districts must minimize the division of counties, cities,​
43.33and towns except when (1) the division occurs because a portion of a city or town is not​
43​Article 3 Sec. 3.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 44.1contiguous with another portion of the same city or town, or (2) despite the division, the​
44.2known population of any affected county, city, or town remains wholly located within a​
44.3single district.​
44.4 Subd. 11.Compactness.Districts must be reasonably compact. More than one measure​
44.5must be used to evaluate compactness of districts.​
44.6 Subd. 12.Natural geographic boundaries.Districts must be drawn to respect natural​
44.7geographic boundaries to the extent possible, including bodies of water, mountain ranges,​
44.8and other significant geological and topographic features.​
44.9 Subd. 13.Numbering.(a) Congressional district numbers must begin with district one​
44.10in the southeast corner of the state and end with the district with the highest number in the​
44.11northeast corner of the state.​
44.12 (b) Legislative districts must be numbered in a regular series, beginning with house of​
44.13representatives district 1A in the northwest corner of the state and proceeding across the​
44.14state from west to east, north to south. In a county that includes more than one whole senate​
44.15district, the districts must be numbered consecutively.​
44.16 Subd. 14.Additional principles.The advisory commission established in section 2A.31​
44.17may adopt additional principles by a two-thirds vote, but the additional principles must not​
44.18be prioritized above the principles in the Constitution of Minnesota or in this section.​
44.19 Subd. 15.Severability.The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of​
44.20this section or its application is held to be invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other​
44.21provisions of this section, which shall be given the maximum possible effect in the absence​
44.22of the invalid provision.​
44.23Sec. 4. [2A.33] LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COMMISSION;​
44.24REDISTRICTING .​
44.25 Subdivision 1.Administrative and professional support.The Legislative Coordinating​
44.26Commission shall provide administrative, professional, and support services to the​
44.27commission established in section 2A.31. The responsibilities assigned to the Legislative​
44.28Coordinating Commission executive director may be implemented through a process or​
44.29delegation to an individual responsible to the executive director to carry out the assigned​
44.30activities.​
44.31 Subd. 2.Data used.(a) The geographic areas and population counts used in maps, tables,​
44.32and legal descriptions of legislative and congressional districts considered by the legislature​
44.33and the redistricting commission must be those used by the GIS Office. The population​
44​Article 3 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 45.1counts shall be the block population counts provided to the state under Public Law 94-171​
45.2after each decennial census, subject to correction of any errors acknowledged by the United​
45.3States Census Bureau.​
45.4 (b) Nothing in this subdivision prohibits the use of additional data, except as provided​
45.5by sections 2A.31 and 2A.32.​
45.6 (c) The GIS Office must make this data available to the public on the GIS Office's​
45.7website.​
45.8 Subd. 3.Publication; consideration of plans.A plan must not be finalized until the​
45.9plan's block equivalency file has been submitted to the GIS Office in a form prescribed by​
45.10the GIS Office. The block equivalency file must show the district to which each census​
45.11block has been assigned. The GIS Office shall publish each plan submitted to it on the GIS​
45.12Office's website.​
45.13 Subd. 4.Reports.Publication of a plan shall include the reports described as follows:​
45.14 (1) a population equality report that lists each district in the plan, its population as the​
45.15total number of persons, and deviations from the ideal as both the number of persons and​
45.16as a percentage of the population. The report must also show the populations of the largest​
45.17and smallest districts and the overall range of deviations of districts;​
45.18 (2) a minority voting-age population report that lists for each district the voting age​
45.19population of each racial, ethnic, or language minority and the total minority voting age​
45.20population, according to the categories recommended by the United States Department of​
45.21Justice. The report must also specify each district with 30 percent or more total minority​
45.22population;​
45.23 (3) a contiguity report that lists each district that is noncontiguous either because two​
45.24areas of a district do not touch or because they are linked by a point;​
45.25 (4) if a plan preserves a community of interest, a communities of interest report that​
45.26includes maps of the plan with a layer identifying the census blocks within each preserved​
45.27community of interest and includes a description of the research process used to identify​
45.28each community of interest. The report must also list each district to which a community​
45.29of interest has been assigned, the number of communities of interest that are split, and the​
45.30number of times communities of interest were split;​
45.31 (5) a political subdivision and Native Nation reservation splits report that lists each split​
45.32of a county, city, township, federally recognized Native Nation reservation, unorganized​
45.33territory, and precinct, and the district to which each portion of a split division is assigned.​
45​Article 3 Sec. 4.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ 46.1The report also must show the number of subdivisions split and the number of times a​
46.2subdivision is split;​
46.3 (6) a plan components report that lists for each district the names and populations of the​
46.4counties within it and, if a county is split between or among districts, the names and​
46.5populations of the portion of the split county and each of the split county's whole or partial​
46.6cities, townships, unorganized territories, and precincts within each district;​
46.7 (7) a measures of compactness report that lists for each district the results of the multiple​
46.8measures of compactness, including but not limited to Reock, Polsby-Popper, Minimum​
46.9Convex Hull, Population Polygon, Population Circle, Ehrenburg, Perimeter, and​
46.10Length-Width measures. The report must also state for each district the sum of the district's​
46.11perimeter and the mean of the measurements. The report may list additional tests of​
46.12compactness that are accepted in political science and statistics literature; and​
46.13 (8) a partisanship report that lists multiple measures of partisan symmetry. The report​
46.14may list additional tests of partisan bias that are accepted in political science and statistics​
46.15literature.​
46.16Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.​
46.17 This article is effective January 1, 2027, if the constitutional amendments proposed in​
46.18article 1 are not ratified.​
46​Article 3 Sec. 5.​
REVISOR JFK/LN 25-05419​04/16/25 ​ Page.Ln 1.15​
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS; INDEPENDENT​
REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.......................................................ARTICLE 1​
Page.Ln 12.11​
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION; STATUTORY​
IMPLEMENTATION.............................................................................ARTICLE 2​
Page.Ln 22.5​CITIZENS ADVISORY REDISTRICTING COMMISSION...............ARTICLE 3​
1​
APPENDIX​
Article locations for 25-05419​ 2.91 REDISTRICTING PLANS.​
Subdivision 1.Distribution.Upon enactment of a redistricting plan for the legislature or for​
Congress, the Legislative Coordinating Commission shall deposit the plan with the secretary of​
state. The secretary of state shall provide copies of the relevant portions of the redistricting plan to​
each county auditor, who shall provide a copy of the relevant portions of the plan to each municipal​
clerk within the county. The secretary of state, with the cooperation of the commissioner of​
administration, shall make copies of the plan file, maps, and tables available to the public for the​
cost of publication. The revisor of statutes shall code a metes and bounds description of the districts​
in Minnesota Statutes.​
Subd. 2.Corrections.The legislature intends that a redistricting plan encompass all the territory​
of this state, that no territory be omitted or duplicated, that all districts consist of convenient​
contiguous territory substantially equal in population, and that political subdivisions not be divided​
more than necessary to meet constitutional requirements. Therefore, in implementing a redistricting​
plan for the legislature or for Congress, the secretary of state, after notifying the Legislative​
Coordinating Commission and the revisor of statutes, shall order the following corrections:​
(a) If a territory in this state is not named in the redistricting plan but lies within the boundaries​
of a district, it is a part of the district within which it lies.​
(b) If a territory in this state is not named in the redistricting plan but lies between the boundaries​
of two or more districts, it is a part of the contiguous district having the smallest population.​
(c) If a territory in this state is assigned in the redistricting plan to two or more districts, it is​
part of the district having the smallest population.​
(d) If a territory in this state is assigned to a district that consists of other territory containing a​
majority of the population of the district but with which it is not contiguous, the territory is a part​
of the contiguous district having the smallest population.​
(e) If the description of a district boundary line that divides a political subdivision is ambiguous​
because a highway, street, railroad track, power transmission line, river, creek, or other physical​
feature or census block boundary that forms part of the district boundary is omitted or is not properly​
named or has been changed, or because a compass direction for the boundary line is wrong, the​
secretary of state shall add or correct the name or compass direction and resolve the ambiguity in​
favor of creating districts of convenient, contiguous territory of substantially equal population that​
do not divide political subdivisions more than is necessary to meet constitutional requirements.​
Subd. 3.Notice of corrections.The secretary of state shall provide a copy of each correction​
order to each affected county auditor, municipal clerk, and candidate.​
Subd. 4.Recommendations to legislature.The secretary of state and the revisor of statutes​
shall recommend to the legislature any additional technical corrections to the redistricting plan they​
deem necessary or desirable.​
1R​
APPENDIX​
Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-05419​