Bill Summaries: S285 (2017-2018 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jul 3 2017 - View summary

    AN ACT DIRECTING THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE TO CREATE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS AND, IF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS ARE NOT TIMELY CREATED, PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF THOSE DISTRICTS. Enacted June 29, 2017. Effective June 29, 2017.


  • Summary date: Jun 29 2017 - View summary

    House amendment #5 makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Provides that in lieu of the process for creating electoral districts by adopting maps created by the Independent Redistricting Commission set out in Sections 1(b) and 1(c) of the act, the Asheville City Council may assign territory to each single-member electoral district through a process established by the City Council, including establishing a working group, advisory board, or other appointed body to make recommendations to the City Council. Requires the City of Asheville to amend its charter to create six single-member electoral districts governing the nomination and election of City Council members, regardless of how district recommendations are submitted to the City Council, on or before November 1, 2017.

    Requires that electoral districts established pursuant to this act be used in the 2019 municipal elections.

    Requires all maps of the six single-member districts considered by the City Council and the map adopted by the City Council to be submitted to the Legislative Library, the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee, the President Pro Tempore, and the Speaker on or before November 15, 2017.

    Makes conforming changes.


  • Summary date: Jun 27 2017 - View summary

    House amendment #1 adds to the 3rd edition, establishing an Independent Districting Commission (Commission) for the City of Asheville. Details membership of the Commission, to be appointed by the City Council no later than August 22, 2017, and specifies eligibility requirements and limitations of appointees. Provides for the designation of officers, the filling of vacancies, and meetings and record keeping of the Commission. Directs the Commission to make interim reports to City Council upon request, and make a final report of its map of six single-member electoral districts to the City Council no later than October 10, 2017. Terminates the Committee (intends Commission) upon the filing of its final report.

    Directs the City Council of Asheville to adopt the final map reported to the City Council by the Commission. Requires the map of the six single-member districts to be submitted to the Legislative Library, Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee, the President Pro Tempore, and the Speaker on or before November 15, 2017. 

    Requires the electoral districts established pursuant to the act to be used in the 2019 municipal elections. 

    Makes organizational changes. 


  • Summary date: Apr 26 2017 - View summary

    Senate amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition:

    Directs Asheville to create six single-member electoral districts for the Asheville City Council (2nd edition did not specify how many districts).


  • Summary date: Apr 25 2017 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Changes the act's short title.

    Amends Section 2 of the act to provide that in the case that the City of Asheville fails to create electroral districts as required in Section 1 of the act, the North Carolina General Assembly in the 2018 Regular Session of the 2017 General Assembly must establish electoral districts for the City of Asheville. Makes conforming changes to delete Section 3 of the act.


  • Summary date: Mar 15 2017 - View summary

    Directs the City of Asheville to amend its charter, by November 1, 2017, to create electoral districts, as described, for city council members, for use in the 2019 municipal elections. Directs the city to file a copy of its charter amendments and submit a report of the completed plans to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 15, 2017.

    Provides that, if the city fails to create electoral districts as required above, the following changes apply.

    Amends the Charter of the City of Asheville to provide that the three city council members who are elected with the highest number of votes in the 2019 election will serve a four­year term, and the three other members will serve a two­year term. Beginning with the 2021 election, all council member terms will be four years. Creates six separate districts within the city, and designates one seat on the city council to represent each district. Describes the shape of each district in terms of 2010 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line Shapefiles.

    Clarifies that the mayor is nominated and elected from the city at large.

    Directs that all Asheville City Council members elected in 2017 will serve a two­year term. Provides that the structure of the Asheville City Council will not be altered under GS Chapter 160A, Article 5, Part 4, prior to the return of the 2020 Census.

    Repeals SL 1969­165 (regarding the term of office for Asheville City Council members).

    Nothing in the act affects the power of the City of Asheville to annex.

    Directs the Legislative Services Officer to certify a true copy of the block assignment file associated with any mapping software used to generate the language describing the shapes of the new electoral districts, and to deliver a certified true copy of the block assignment file to the Clerk of the City of Asheville.

    Applies to elections held on or after the date the bill becomes law.