Redistricting -- eventful day

This evening the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission conducted a Public Outreach Hearing at the Chandler City Council Chambers -- about which I have plenty to write.

Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin announced a Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting which is scheduled to meet Friday.

And Commissioner Jose Herrera participated, along with former state Rep. John Loredo, Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission exec. dir. Leonard Gorman, the NAACP's Rev. Oscar Tillman and Arizona Advocacy Network exec. dir. Linda Brown, in a roundtable discussion on minority issues in this year's redistricting process.

You deserve to hear about all three of those events. I will have plenty to tell you about each. If I stay up to do so this evening, I'd be up until the wee hours. So, look for more on Wednesday afternoon.

Here, however, is the text of the Press Release announcing the committee:

From: Mike Philipsen
Date: October 18, 2011 5:17:25 PM MST
To: "Mike Philipsen"
Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting

MEDIA ADVISORY
ARIZONA LEGISLATURE
1700 West Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007

           Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting

(PHOENIX, State Capitol) – The House and Senate today announced the formation of a Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting. The committee will propose recommendations to the full Legislature, in pursuant of the Legislature’s comment authority under Arizona Constitution Article 4, Part 2, Section 1, Paragraph 16 which states:

The independent redistricting commission shall advertise a draft map of congressional districts… and a draft map of legislative districts to the public for comment, which comment shall be taken… for at least thirty days. Either or both bodies of the legislature may act within this period to make recommendations. The independent redistricting commission shall then establish final district boundaries.

“The primary responsibility of the IRC is to protect communities of interest and they have failed to do that,” said Senate President Russell Pearce. “In far too many places neighborhoods that have nothing in common have been drawn into the same district.”

“We appreciate the hard work of the IRC,” Speaker Andy Tobin said. “It is clear, however, that the draft maps are in substantial need of improvement. It is fitting that the elected representatives of the people have a voice in this important process that will effect legislative representation for the next decade.”
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WHO:  Representatives Jim Weiers (Co-Chair), Doris Goodale and Lynne Pancrazi; Senators Steve Pierce (Co-Chair), Andy Biggs and Robert Meza
WHAT: Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting
WHEN: Friday, October 21, time and agenda to be determined
 WHERE: Senate Hearing Room 1

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Needless to say, I will have plenty to say about this situation and will try to talk to some of those involved before I do so.