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HB 5521

AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Newberry

Creates a permanent State Redistricting Commission to draw and provide multiple public district plans for US and state offices with transparent, participatory rules.

02/27/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5521

Summary — HB 5521: "Redistricting Act"

Status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study (02/27/2025)
Introduced by: Rep. Brian C. Newberry (02/13/2025)

Purpose

HB 5521 would create a permanent State Redistricting Commission to prepare alternative redistricting plans for U.S. House seats and the Rhode Island General Assembly. The intent is to establish a structured, transparent process for drawing single‑member districts with public input and technical/legal support.

Key provisions

  • Establishment

    • Adds a new Chapter 1.1 to Title 22 creating the "state redistricting commission" (the Commission).

  • Membership and leadership (7 total)

    • 1 appointee each by: Speaker of the House, House minority leader, Senate President, Senate minority leader (4).
    • 2 appointees by the State Ethics Commission; these two must not be members of the largest or second-largest political parties.
    • 1 appointee by the State Ethics Commission who is a retired justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court or a retired judge of the Superior Court; this person serves as Chair.

  • Qualifications and limitations

    • Appointees must be qualified electors of RI.
    • Ineligible if, within the prior 2 years, they were a public official, candidate, lobbyist, state or federal political party officer, an immediate family member (first degree) of a member of Congress or the RI legislature, or an employee of Congress or the state legislature.
    • Commissioners must take an oath and may receive per diem and mileage only.

  • Terms, vacancies and timing

    • Commissioners appointed no later than April 1, 2031 and every August 1 of years ending in "0" thereafter.
    • Commissioners serve until the legislature passes district plans and the governor approves them and any legal challenges (including appeals) are resolved.
    • Vacancies must be filled by the original appointing authority within 15 days of notification.

  • Duties, process and public participation

    • Beginning April 1, 2031 (and on the same recurring schedule), the Commission must adopt 3–5 alternative district plans for congressional districts, the state House, and the state Senate.
    • Deadline examples: no later than October 15, 2031, and subsequently by September 1 of each year ending in "1".
    • Must adopt operating rules, hold at least six public meetings before issuing proposed plans (in each county and virtual), and at least six public rule hearings when adopting plans.
    • Must comply with open meetings law, compile and provide public access to all records and testimony, and may contract for legal and technical assistance and hire staff.

  • District standards and definitions

    • Plans must use single‑member, contiguous districts (corner‑touching only is not contiguous) and comply with federal law.
    • The bill defines terms including "community of interest," "length‑width compactness," and "perimeter compactness," and permits use of decennial census data.

Who is affected

  • Voters and communities of interest (through how districts are drawn).
  • State legislators and congressional candidates (district boundaries may change).
  • Appointing authorities (legislative leaders and the State Ethics Commission).
  • Judiciary (a retired judge/justice chairs the Commission).
  • State agencies and consultants (may be contracted for technical/legal support).

Potential impacts

  • Creates a formal, multi‑member commission with cross‑institutional appointments and ethics‑commission involvement—intended to increase transparency and reduce conflicts of interest in map‑drawing.
  • Requires robust public outreach and documentation of input; offers the legislature multiple alternative plans to consider.
  • Timing is tied to the 2030 decennial cycle (appointments and plan deadlines beginning in 2031), so it primarily affects the post‑2030 redistricting cycle.

Procedural status & history

  • Filed/Introduced: 02/13/2025
  • Referred to House State Government & Elections; additional referrals listed in chamber history.
  • Committee action: 02/27/2025 — Committee recommended the measure be held for further study.
  • Other recorded actions: Read first time 04/07/2025; various referrals and scheduling dates in Feb–Apr 2025.

(For full statutory text, see LC000931 / 2025 H 5521.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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