Metro Council Ad Hoc Committee on Redistricting

Agenda

1. Call to Order

   Chair Winkler called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

2. Roll Call

   Chair Winkler introduced the committee and non-committee members present. A quorum was established.

3. Special Discussion
4. ID 21-0939 Overview of Redistricting Process - Hollie Hopkins and Jeff Derouen, Jefferson County Attorney's Office
   Discussion Item

   Chair Winkler introduced the topic and spoke to the meeting process. Hollie Hopkins and Jeff Derouen, Jefferson County Attorney's Office, gave a reviewed the attached outline. The following also spoke to this item: - Committee Member Pedan - Chair Winkler - Council Member Purvis - Vice Chair Piagentini - Committee Member Chambers Armstrong - Committee Member Dorsey - Council Member Triplett The following was discussed: - First meeting in August could be postponed due to the Census data being unavailable until mid-August - Regular meetings will resume after the Census data becomes available - Public hearing date(s) is(are) to be determined once the Census data is released - The process should have began in May, which is based on a deadline that was created by the General Assembly under the assumption that the Census Bureau would release the data in April, as they have done in the past - The Council published the required notice to the public in the Courier Journal on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - The Census Bureau plans to do an additional step for the first time ever and plans to release a more user-friendly format of the data at the end of September - Whether the December 7, 2021 deadline can be changed at the last minute - Filing deadline is broken into two parts: 1) within one county; and 2) Congress, State House, State Representatives - In terms of the Equal Population standard, legislative bodies such as Metro Council's standard do not require mathematical equality - Plus or minus current case law does not apply to Council seats and only to State Legislature seats, but is not a question that has been decided by the court - Case that was decided in 2012 specifically addressed a challenge under Section 33 of the Kentucky Constitution, which by the terms only applies to redistricting done by the General Assembly for the State, House, and Senate - Unknown what a court would do if someone tried to challenge the same logic because of the similarity in the language between the statute and the Constitutional provision - Information regarding the district that has the least population versus the most population, as well as the difference in current Census study versus 10 years ago - Some Council Members funded a report that looked at many factors, including the cities population movements over the past 20 years using the last available census data for years 2015-2019 (see attached) - Clarification of the case law being effectively rebutted in a court and what factors have lead to a court presuming invalidation - Whether the deviation is based on the current existing footprint or the new data - Changes to District population growth or loss - Whether total current population divided by 26, with some deviations, is the standard - Reasons for changes in shifting populations - Estimated population (from attached report) shows 776,000 in 2015-2019

5. Adjournment

   Without objection, Chair Winkler adjourned the meeting at 5:42 p.m.

6. Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.
7. Clerk(s)

   Sonya Harward, Clerk

8. Non-Committee Member(s)

   Council Member Donna Purvis (D-5), Council President David James (D-6), Council Member Paula McCraney (D-7), Council Member Bill Hollander (D-9), Council Member Kevin Triplett (D-15)

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10. Support Staff

    Hollie Hopkins, Jefferson County Attorney's Office Jeff Derouen, Jefferson County Attorney's Office