NEW: Final Redistricting Hearings Set
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Special Commission on Reapportionment has scheduled a final round of hearings as it works to establish new district lines for the Rhode Island House of Representatives and Senate and for the U.S. House of Representatives.
The preliminary House of Representatives and Senate district lines were unveiled for the first time this week and will be reviewed by the commission when it meets today (November 22) at 4 p.m. in Room 313 of the State House.
The remainder of the hearing schedule is:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMonday, November 28 – Preliminary new districts for the U.S. House of Representatives will be unveiled and discussed. The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. in Room 313 of the State House.
The commission will then take its plan concepts on the road with the following meetings scheduled:
Wednesday, November 30, 7 p.m., South Kingstown High School, 215 Columbia Street, Wakefield (Washington County).
Thursday, December 1, 7 p.m., CCRI Newport Campus auditorium, One John H. Chafee Boulevard, Newport (Newport County)
Monday, December 5, 7 p.m., Johnston High School 345 Cherry Hill Road, Johnston (Providence County)
Tuesday, December 6, 7 p.m., Warwick City Hall, 3275 Post Road, Warwick (Kent County)
Wednesday, December 7, 7 p.m., Room 313, State House.
Thursday, December 8, 7 p.m., Barrington High School, 220 Lincoln Avenue, Barrington (Bristol County).
The commission will then return to the State House to review the comments from the hearings held around the state and to take further public comments. The remainder of the schedule is:
Monday, December 12, 6 p.m., Room 313, State House – review and digest of maps.
Monday, December 19, 6 p.m., Room 313 State House – final vote of commission.
Once approved by the commission, legislation establishing the new lines will be presented to the General Assembly in January for final adoption so that the new lines are ready in time for the November 2012 election. Redistricting occurs once every decade to reflect shifts in population detected by the U.S. Census.
Chairing the commission are Rep. Stephen R. Ucci (D-Dist. 42, Johnston, Cranston) and Sen. Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick).
The commission hired Election Data Services, Inc., to assist with the redistricting process. The company has set up a State House office and has also established a web site, www.riredistricting.com , to provide the public with information about the process. Video recordings of the meetings and hearings, as well as PowerPoint presentations made at them, are available on the web site. A link to the site is provided on the General Assembly home page, www.rilin.state.ri.us , as is the Capitol TV schedule for the hearings.
All the hearings and meetings will be shown on Capitol TV, which can be seen on Channel 15 for Cox Communications and Full Channel subscribers and on Channel 34 for Verizon customers. Hearings at the State House will be televised live, while those scheduled outside the State House will be recorded and aired the following day.
