Senate Committee Passes Redistricting Bill

A Kentucky Senate committee has unanimously approved a bill that calls for a constitutional amendment to allow lawmakers to divide more counties during redistricting. Bill sponsor Robert Stivers says limits on that complicated the redistricting process this year. Federal law requires that districts be nearly equal in population. But legislators say it's hard to meet that requirement as well as a state requirement to divide as few counties as possible. If approved, the bill would apply to redistricting following the 2020 Census. The bill would also require legislators to remain in session without pay if they don't finish redistricting by April 15, when the session ends.