Peoria Standard

Illinois Senate Republican Redistricting Caucus Chair Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) is calling for Senate to stop blocking redistricting reform legislation and hold a hearing on the GOP-crafted plan. 

Senate Bill 1325, known as the People's Independent Map's Act, was filed by Barickman in March, but the Senate is still pushing to delay the actual vote on the legislation. 

"Everyone from the Senate President to the Governor has repeatedly expressed their support for redistricting reform," Barickman said in an April 22 Facebook post. "We have a proposal that has had bipartisan support in both chambers. The only reason to block attempts at reform is to allow one party to produce a purely partisan map. Why else would they would be hiding from this legislation now?" 

According to a release from Barickman, he sent a formal request to Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) April 21, asking to extend the third reading deadline of the legislation. Barickman also requested Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago) asking for the legislation to be released from the Assignments Committee so it could be moved forward to be debated in a public committee. 

SB 1325 "uses identical language from SJRCA 0004, a constitutional amendment for an independent redistricting commission that was introduced by Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) in 2019," which obtained 37 co-sponsors with 18 of those being Democrats. 

The People's Independent Map's Act would allow for redistricting done by an Illinois Supreme Court-appointed committee of 16 residents representing the state's demographics.