The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that the plan for Senate districts, hatched by Republicans, is unconstitutional, although the Court upheld the House district boundaries.
“The Legislature is now tasked by the Florida Constitution with adopting a new joint resolution of apportionment ‘conforming to the judgment of the supreme court,'” the Court said.
Democrats and several groups across the state, applauded the ruling.
“Today’s state Supreme Court ruling rejecting as unconstitutional the proposed Senate district boundaries is an exciting victory for the people,” said State Rep. Perry Thurston (D-Plantation).
Thurston said, the ruling came as no surprise and confirms that the Senate map violates the people’s wishes to end extreme partisan gerrymandering.
Reacting to the Court’s ruling, Deirdre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida said, “From this day forward our elected officials are on notice that they cannot ignore the Constitution and abuse the public trust by drawing districts to favor themselves. The League of Women Voters of Florida has been working on redistricting reform for decades, and this is a historic day for all Florida citizens.”
The Legislature would now have to return to redrawing the Senate maps making them compliant with the Fair Districts amendments, as expressed by Florida voters.
