The Illinois Senate has adopted a plan that would create a uniform, interstate process for drawing political boundaries. Chicago Democratic Sen. KwameRaoul's plan was adopted 42-6.
He says it answers the call President Barack Obama made in February when he addressed the Illinois General Assembly in which he once served. Obama called for fair redistricting processes that eliminated drawing boundaries to favor one party over another.
The idea - if approved in Illinois - would have to be OK'd by the 37 other states that have at least three congressional districts. It would establish independent commissions to draw political districts every decade after the Census. They would be designed to insulate the process from partisanship.
An attorney linked to top Illinois Democrats is again suing over an effort to let voters decide if the power to draw political maps should be given to an independent commission.
The lawsuit is brought by a well-known Chicago elections attorney who successfully fought a similar 2014 effort and has been House Speaker Michael Madigan's general counsel.
The lawsuit alleges the proposed Nov. 8 ballot question doesn't meet constitutional requirements, puts together unrelated questions and imposes new duties on the auditor general and Supreme Court members.
The Independent Maps coalition wants an 11-member commission to draw political boundaries, not the party in power. Coalition chairman Dennis FitzSimons dismisses the lawsuit as the work of "political insiders."
A spokesman says Madigan, who leads the state Democratic Party, isn't involved.
