Legislative/Congressional Redistricting Plan

Senate Bills 148/149/150

Update: August 17, 2011

Senate Bill 148 and Senate Bill 149 are respectively the proposed new legislative and congressional district maps for Wisconsin formulated by the GOP majority following the 2010 Census. Senate Bill 150 requires municipalities to redraw ward boundaries to accommodate the new district boundaries approved by the Legislature. Currently state law requires ward boundaries to be approved at the municipal level before the Legislature approves their new district maps. No companion bills were introduced in the assembly.

All three senate bills and one amendment to SB 148 were introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government on July 11, 2011. A joint public hearing was held on July 13 with the Assembly Committee on Homeland Security and State Affairs. Read Democracy Campaign's testimony. 

On July 15 only the senate committee voted on and approved the maps despite the joint public hearing; SB 150 was also approved with one amendment (SA4). On July 19 the full Senate voted 19-14 for passage of each of the three proposals with one additional amendment (SA5) to SB 150. Each proposal was passed by the Assembly on July 20 -- vote tallies SB148 (57-40), SB149 (59-38), and SB150 (58-39).

On July 25, Senate Bill 150 was signed into law as 2011 WI Act 39. The two map proposals received the governor's approval (2011 WI Act 43 and 44) on August 9 in the last hour before they would have automatically been enacted.  The maps are facing legal challenges from Democrats.

See more links to redistricting information including interactive GOP maps here. Proposed alternative plan by the Democracy Campaign is posted here.