Indiana General Assembly will redraw state district lines this legislative session

This will be an extremely busy year for our elected leaders here at the Indiana Statehouse.

They have to redraw the state's district lines, which will impact the state's path for the next decade.

Lines are redrawn by the general assembly.

News 18's anna darling talked with an expert and several legislators to find out what this process will look like.

"one of the many important things our elected leaders will be addressing this legislative session is redistricting the state.

It's an important bill that will pass through the statehouse that will impact the state's path for the next 10 years."

"this is something that effects every level of government and it happens after the census" indiana is one of 34 states where the state legislature has primary control over redrawing district lines.

Many people only think of this in terms of congressional elected officials.

But it hits a lot closer to home.

"we should remember that the state house, the state senate, your city council, county council, town council all get redrawn.

Pitical science professor andrew downs says during the last redistricting, the general assembly started looking for more public input.

We'll see what happens because of the pandemic.

But i anticipate there will be opportunities for people around the state to have input into what should be happening with district boundaries" senator jon ford chairs the senate elec his group along with the house elections and apportionment committee are in charge of getting that feedback and coming up with maps.

It will be debated and voted on like any other bill.

"we are going to be having a fair and open process the best that we can.

People should email us or their local legislators if they have questions" downs says there has been talk in the past about putting the redrawing process into independent hands.

State representative sheila klinker agrees.

"it would be great to have a bipartisan commission that brings outside folks in that really look at our districts very carefully and have the league of women voters involved" but klinker says democrats and republicans at the statehouse will work together on this.

"because we all know each other personally, we will work together for the state of indiana" "the general assembly won't even get the census data needed for redistricting until february or march.

However senator ford says he is confident they will get the redistricting bill passed before the session ends on april 29th.

However given the circumstances of this year, there is a chance there will be an extended special session to give our legislators more time to address the many issues facing them this year reporting at the state house, anna darling news 18" the covid-19 vaccine will