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119-s-2885119th Congress

Redistricting Reform Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Introduced

Summary

Creates binding state independent redistricting commissions to produce congressional maps under a prioritized fairness and Voting Rights Act framework. It would make commission plans the default and let federal courts publish fallback plans when commissions or state processes fail.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Deadlines and limits on redraws

If enacted, States must enact final congressional maps by the earliest of their State deadline, February 15 of a federal election year, or 90 days before the next federal primary. The bill would require States to use either a commission plan or, if the commission fails to enact a plan, a three-judge court plan, with limited exceptions (including Iowa and qualifying existing commissions). The Act would generally bar mid-decade redistricting after a plan under this law, unless a court orders a new map to fix constitutional or Voting Rights Act problems.

Federal court backup for maps

If enacted, any citizen (and the Attorney General) could sue in federal court over congressional redistricting. State redistricting suits in State court could be removed to federal court by any party. A three-judge federal court could take over, develop, and publish a State's redistricting plan and deem it enacted on publication. Courts must follow the same map rules, post plans and data for free, allow at least 14 days for public comment, and may publish interim plans if needed. The bill would bar legislatures from asserting legislative privilege in these cases and allows courts to award attorney fees to prevailing private plaintiffs.

New rules for drawing districts

If enacted, congressional maps would have to follow a ranked set of rules. First they must meet the Constitution, including nearly equal population. Second they must comply with the Voting Rights Act. Third they must protect minority groups' practical ability to elect candidates of choice when the record warrants. Fourth they should preserve communities of interest and neighborhoods. The bill would bar using Members' home addresses and generally bar relying on individual party registration or voting history except as needed to meet top legal tests or to measure fairness. It would also create fast partisan-effect analyses and a rebuttable presumption process if statewide partisan advantage exceeds a defined threshold.

New rules for state mapmakers

If enacted, States would have to create or name a nonpartisan agency to run a 15-member independent redistricting commission. The agency must produce a 36-person selection pool, and a four-member legislative Select Committee would approve or reject that pool. Applicants, staff, and vendors must meet eligibility rules and report political spending, and commissions must run public websites, post drafts and evaluations, and hold multiple public hearings. The bill would let qualifying existing commissions stay in place. The Election Assistance Commission would pay each State $150,000 per Representative (no payment to single-Representative States) within 30 days of apportionment, but only after certain state certifications. The Comptroller General must report on commission diversity by May 15 of years ending in "1."

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 9/18/2025

  • Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

    ME • I

    Sponsored 9/18/2025

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/18/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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