Second Regular Session Sixty-ninth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. R14-0255.02 Kate Meyer x4348 HCR14-1001 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Sonnenberg, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 14-1001 Submitting to the registered electors of the state of Colorado amendments to the Colorado constitution concerning state representative districts, and, in connection therewith, dividing the house of representatives into as many districts as there are counties in the state, with each such district consisting of one entire county, and making the reorganization effective on January 10, 2017. Resolution Summary (Note: This summary applies to this resolution as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this resolution passes third reading in the house of introduction, a resolution summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this resolution will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) Currently, all of the state senate and representative districts must contain substantially comparable populations, which districts are redrawn decennially by the Colorado reapportionment commission using the most recent United States census data. The concurrent resolution leaves this process intact for the state senate, but permanently modifies the composition of the house of representatives so that it consists of one district per county in the state. Each representative district's boundaries are coterminous with those of its county. If a majority of electors vote in favor of the concurrent resolution at the 2014 general election, the reorganization of the house of representatives takes effect on January 10, 2017. WHEREAS, Just as each state is a sovereign government entitled to both population-based and nonpopulation-based representation in the United States Congress, so are Colorado's counties entitled to analogous representation in the General Assembly; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein: SECTION 1. At the next election at which such question may be submitted, there shall be submitted to the registered electors of the state of Colorado, for their approval or rejection, the following amendment to the constitution of the state of Colorado, to wit: In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 45 of article V as follows: Section 45. General assembly. (1) The general assembly shall consist of: (a) Not more than Thirty-five members of the senate, and of not more than sixty-five members of the house of representatives, one to be elected from each senatorial and each representative district; respectively. and (b) Members of the house of representatives, one to be elected from each representative district, which districts are as described in section 46 (2) of this article. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 46 of article V as follows: Section 46. Senatorial and representative districts. (1) The state shall be divided into as many senatorial and representative districts as there are members of the senate, and house of representatives respectively, each district in each house having a population as nearly equal as may be, as required by the constitution of the United States, but in no event shall there be more than five percent deviation between the most populous and the least populous district in each house the senate. (2) Effective January 10, 2017, the state shall be divided into as many representative districts as there are counties in the state, with each such district comprised of one entire county. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 47 of article V as follows: Section 47. Composition of districts. (1) (a) Each senate district shall be as compact in area as possible and the aggregate linear distance of all district boundaries shall be as short as possible. Each senate district shall consist of contiguous whole general election precincts. Senate districts of the same house shall not overlap. (b) Effective January 10, 2017, each representative district consists of, and its boundaries are coterminous with the boundaries of, one entire county in the state. One member of the house of representatives shall be elected from each such district. When the number of counties increases or decreases, adjustments in representative districts shall take effect as prescribed by law. (2) Except when necessary to meet the equal population requirements of section 46 of this article, no part of one county shall be added to all or part of another county in forming senate districts. Within counties whose territory is contained in more than one district of the same house senate, the number of cities and towns whose territory is contained in more than one district of the same house senate shall be as small as possible. When county, city, or town boundaries are changed, adjustments, if any, in legislative senate districts shall be as prescribed by law. (3) Consistent with the provisions of this section and section 46 of this article, communities of interest, including ethnic, cultural, economic, trade area, geographic, and demographic factors, shall be preserved within a single senate district wherever possible. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, section 48 of article V, amend section (1) (a) as follows: Section 48. Revision and alteration of representative districts - reapportionment commission. (1) (a) After each federal census of the United States, the senatorial districts and representative districts shall be established, revised, or altered, and the members of the senate and the house of representatives apportioned among them, by a Colorado reapportionment commission consisting of eleven members, to be appointed and having the qualifications as prescribed in this section. Of such members, four shall be appointed by the legislative department, three by the executive department, and four by the judicial department of the state. SECTION 2. Each elector voting at said election and desirous of voting for or against said amendment shall cast a vote as provided by law either "Yes/For" or "No/Against" on the proposition: "Shall there be amendments to the Colorado constitution concerning state representative districts, and, in connection therewith, dividing the house of representatives into as many districts as there are counties in the state, with each such district consisting of one entire county, and making the reorganization effective on January 10, 2017?" SECTION 3. The votes cast for the adoption or rejection of said amendment shall be canvassed and the result determined in the manner provided by law for the canvassing of votes for representatives in Congress, and if a majority of the electors voting on the question shall have voted "Yes/For", the said amendment shall become a part of the state constitution.