STATEHOUSE (Jan. 28, 2010) - Lawmakers today approved Senate Republicans' sweeping redistricting reforms establishing objective guidelines for creating legislative and congressional districts after the 2010 census and requiring an in-depth bipartisan review of redistricting best practices used by other states.

"This legislation could help give lawmakers objective principles to follow while crafting new legislative and congressional districts next session and beyond," said State Sen. Beverly Gard (R-Greenfield), who voted in support of the legislation.

Gard said Senate Bill 80, which passed by a vote of 47-1, provides lawmakers with the following guidelines to keep in mind when drawing legislative and congressional districts in the future:

Preservation of traditional neighborhoods;

Preservation of local communities of interests;

Protection of minority voting rights;

Simply-shaped, compact districts; and

Respect for county and precinct lines.

Senators also voted 45-3 to approve legislation creating an in-depth bipartisan study of best practices of other states. Senate Bill 136, also supported by Gard, would establish the Redistricting Study Committee and task the panel with examining ways to improve the redistricting process including proposals to establish an independent commission to draw legislative and congressional district boundaries.

"This panel could help lawmakers gain feedback from Hoosiers and other experts in the field on how Indiana can best draw its legislative districts," Gard said. "Also, the committee will take into consideration other states' redistricting efforts and their success stories."

SB 80 and SB 136 now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Gard represents Senate District 28, which is composed of Hamilton, Henry and Hancock counties.

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