Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

House panel weighs hands-on vs. hands-off redistricting processes

Every 10 years, the political district lines are redrawn. The House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee heard competing visions Tuesday for who should draw the lines in Minnesota after the 2020 U.S. Census.

Under her bill, HF314, Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth) said the responsibility should rest with the state Legislature.

An amendment successfully offered by Rep. Laurie Halverson (DFL-Eagan) states that “districts must not be drawn for the purpose of protecting or defeating an incumbent.”

Legislators wouldn’t be able to ask “any commission, council, panel, or other entity that is not comprised solely of members of the legislature” to draw congressional and legislative boundaries under HF314.

Approved by the committee, HF314 moves next to the House State Government Finance Committee, which Anderson chairs. Its companion, SF86, sponsored by Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), awaits action by the Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee.

Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL-Duluth) sponsors HF246, which would establish a commission of five retired judges to draw new districts. The four caucus leaders in the House and Senate would each appoint a member, and those four commission members would together choose a fifth member. They would hold at least three public hearings in different parts of the state. Their resulting plan would need to win approval by the Legislature.

The committee laid HF246 over for possible inclusion in a future bill. SF370, sponsored by Sen. Jason Isaacson (DFL-Shoreview) is the companion. It, too, awaits action by the Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee.


Related Articles


Priority Dailies

House passes tax package that includes rebate checks, $1 billion in new revenues
Rep. Aisha Gomez and House Majority Leader Jamie Long talk during a break in the May 20 debate on HF1938, the tax finance and policy bill. (Photo by Catherine Davis) Is it the largest tax cut in Minnesota history? Or the biggest tax hike the state has ever experienced? Could it be both? That’s the crux of the debate about the conference ...
House passes finalized cannabis legalization bill, sends it to Senate
A supporter of cannabis legalization demonstrates in front of the Capitol in 2021. The House repassed a bill to legalize recreational cannabis, as amended in conference committee, May 18 and sent HF100 to the Senate. (House Photography file photo) The House gave the green light to adult-use recreational cannabis Thursday. “The day has finally arrived. Today is the day that we are going to vote here in the House for th...

Minnesota House on Twitter