Maryland House Advances Redistricting Amendment After 4-Hour Fight Over 20 GOP Changes
Updated
Updated · Maryland Matters · Aug 4
Maryland House Advances Redistricting Amendment After 4-Hour Fight Over 20 GOP Changes
3 articles · Updated · Maryland Matters · Aug 4
Summary
A voice vote late Monday gave preliminary House approval to HB 2100, a constitutional amendment that would set standards for Maryland’s congressional districts and go to voters in November if lawmakers pass it by Wednesday.
The measure is designed to bypass a 2022 ruling by Judge Lynne Battaglia that struck down a 2021 congressional map and applied compactness, contiguity and boundary rules to congressional districts.
Republicans, outnumbered by the Democratic supermajority, used the first day of the special session to press 20 amendments over roughly four hours; most failed on party-line votes and several others were ruled out of order.
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Hershey briefly delayed introduction of the Senate bill, while GOP lawmakers also protested leaders’ decision to bar non-redistricting legislation from the session.
The clash marks a reversal from earlier this year, when similar redistricting efforts stalled in the Senate; leaders now say a constitutional fix is needed before any future map can be considered, though Republicans are hinting at a legal challenge.