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H 4717

Reapportionment, Congressional Districts

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by April Cromer and 5 co-sponsors

South Carolina will adopt a fixed seven-district congressional map, effective for the 2026 election, with leadership authority to pursue redistricting-related litigation.

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer, Gilreath
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Bill Summary · H 4717

Summary of Bill H 4717 (Session 2025-2026) — South Carolina Reapportionment, Congressional Districts

Note: This summary highlights the bill’s main purpose, key provisions, affected parties, and timeline/procedural aspects based on the text provided.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a new framework for congressional districting in South Carolina to take effect starting with the 2026 general election.
  • Replaces the current method (as implied by the repealed provision) of electing members of the U.S. Congress from existing districts with a newly defined set of districts and district boundaries.
  • authorizes state leadership (President of the Senate and Speaker of the House) to engage in interstate or federal actions, including litigation, related to redistricting.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • New Section: 7-19-35
    • Creates seven congressional districts in the State.
    • Provides explicit district composition for District 1, including a detailed listing of counties, counties’ totals, and numerous Voting Tabulation Districts (VTDs) and precinct-like units within Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Jasper, and other areas.
    • Districts 1–7 are defined via population and geographic composition, with granular delineation by VTDs and blocks (as shown in District 1’s example; the text proceeds to outline Districts 2–4 and beyond with similar level-of-detail in places, though the excerpt here is heavily table-heavy).
  • Repeal: Section 7-19-45
    • Removes the prior mechanism by which members of Congress were elected from previously defined election districts.
  • Intergovernmental Litigation Authority
    • Authorizes the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to intervene in state or federal actions related to redistricting.
    • Allows the Senate President and House Speaker to initiate or participate in litigation on behalf of their respective bodies regarding redistricting.

3) Who or What Would Be Affected

  • State government and its legislative leadership (Senate President and House Speaker)
    • Given new authority to intervene in redistricting-related actions and litigation.
  • Voters and residents of South Carolina
    • The state would be divided into seven congressional districts with specific geographic and population-based boundaries, affecting which U.S. House district they reside in and vote for.
  • Courts and federal/state agencies involved in redistricting/ elections
    • Potential increased involvement in litigation and enforcement of district boundaries starting in 2026.
  • Potential political impact on representation
    • Redistricting can influence competitive dynamics, minority representation, and resource allocation; the bill provides a fixed seven-district framework starting with the 2026 election.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective Change:
    • District designations would apply beginning with the 2026 general election.
  • Legislative Authority:
    • The bill explicitly empowers Senate President and House Speaker to engage in redistricting-related litigation and to intervene in relevant actions.
  • Repeal of Previous Framework:
    • Repeals the existing section governing how congressional districts were previously elected, effectively superseding prior districting rules.
  • Legislative Format:
    • The bill contains a detailed, district-by-district delineation (District 1 shown with exhaustive VTDs/locations), indicating a data-driven approach to boundary setting.

5) Additional Considerations

  • The bill’s district maps are highly granular, listing numerous local subdivisions (VTDs and blocks). The full text includes extensive district-by-district boundaries and population data, which would be critical for any analysis of compliance with constitutional districting principles (equal population, contiguity, compactness, and respect for communities of interest).
  • The ultimate validity and implementation would depend on subsequent legislative actions, potential court challenges, and any related federal requirements (e.g., Voting Rights Act considerations).

If you’d like, I can provide a more reader-friendly summary of District 1 (as a representative example) or extract anticipated timelines and potential cost/benefit considerations from the map data.

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

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