House Concurrent Resolution 66

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, BY CREATING A NEW SECTION TO REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE EACH REGULAR SESSION FOLLOWING A FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS TO ADOPT A PLAN TO REDISTRICT THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER A REDISTRICTING PLAN BECOMES EFFECTIVE NO OTHER REDISTRICTING PLAN MAY BE ADOPTED BY THE LEGISLATURE, EXCEPT UPON COURT ORDER, UNTIL FOLLOWING THE NEXT FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:

Amend Section ___, the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to create a new section to read as follows:

"SECTION ___. At each regular session of the Legislature immediately following the results of a federal decennial census, the Legislature shall adopt a plan to redistrict, according to constitutional standards, the United States congressional districts for the State of Mississippi. After a redistricting plan becomes effective, whether as a result of legislative action or court order, no other redistricting plan may be adopted by the Legislature, except upon court order, until following the next federal decennial census."

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2004, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by general law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment requires the Legislature each regular session following a federal decennial census to adopt a plan to redistrict the United States congressional districts for the State of Mississippi. After a redistricting plan becomes effective, no other redistricting plan may be adopted by the Legislature, except upon court order, until following the next federal decennial census."

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this resolution, immediately upon adoption by the Legislature, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.