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(There was no response.)
The Clerk will record the vote.
There being 52 votes in the affirmative
and 63 in the negative, the motion is lost.
The amendment is rejected.
Delegate Koss, I now have your amend-
ment which I believe is Amendment P.
Do you wish to offer this?
DELEGATE KOSS: Yes, Mr. Chairman.
THE CHAIRMAN : Will the pages please
distribute Amendment P. This will be to
section 3.03a. Please mark this Amend-
ment No. 9.
Amendment P for Paul.
Delegates who have not received the
amendment please indicate to the pages.
The Clerk will read the amendment.
READING CLERK: Amendment No. 9
to Committee Recommendation LB-2 by
Delegates Koss, Winslow, and Wagandt:
On page 2 following line 42 of section 3.03a,
Redistricting Procedure, add this new sec-
tion:
"Section 3. Congressional Redis-
tricting. The state shall be redistricted
for the election of members of the House
of Representatives of the United States
Congress following each decennial fed-
eral census. The following requirements
shall be applicable to congressional re-
districting: (1) The districts shall be
composed of adjoining territory and be
compact in form. Natural boundaries
and the boundaries of political subdivi-
sions shall be followed as far as prac-
ticable. Each district shall not exceed in
population any other district by more
than fifteen percent. (2) The General
Assembly may provide by law for a re-
districting commission to provide a plan
for redistricting, such plan to be sub-
mitted to the General Assembly. Upon
petition of any registered voter the Court
of Appeals shall have original jurisdic-
tion to renew the plan of redistricting
enacted by the General Assembly."
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any dele-
gates who have not now received a copy of
the amendment?
The amendment having been seconded,
the Chair recognizes Delegate Koss to speak
to the Amendment.
DELEGATE KOSS: Mr. Chairman and
fellow delegates, the first thing I would
like to point out on line 23, the word is
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supposed to read "review", and not "re-
new".
THE CHAIRMAN: What is the word?
DELEGATE KOSS: Review.
THE CHAIRMAN: Third word in line
23, review.
DELEGATE KOSS: That is correct.
THE CHAIRMAN: The typographical
error will be corrected.
Proceed, Delegate Koss.
DELEGATE KOSS: In presenting this
amendment to the delegation, I want to say
first that I have no desire to evanesce any
distrust of the Legislature and I applaud
the actions of the Legislative Branch Com-
mittee in strengthening the legislature.
However, in so doing I cannot help feel-
ing that some rights of the people have
also to be protected.
It has been as difficult for the General
Assembly to establish a congressional dis-
trict for the State of Maryland as it has
been for them to reapportion their own
house. The years of '62 and '63 and '64, I
think give ample evidence to that situation.
I appreciate Delegate Gallagher's point
that the question of the General Assembly
delegating the authority to draw up a re-
districting plan to a commission had ques-
tionable legal status.
However, it seems to me to protect the
rights of the people, to protect their repre-
sentation in the Congress, that some stand-
ards ought to be included in our Constitu-
tion; this amendment would require redis-
tricting after every decennial census upon
which census congressional seats are dis-
tributed.
This would mean whether Maryland lost
or gained a congressman, the districts
would have to be redrawn or at least re-
viewed. The changes in Maryland's popu-
lation and the uneven growth within the
State make it imperative that there be
congressional redistricting again whether
Maryland gains or loses a congressman.
This establishes certain standards for
contiguity and compactness of congressional
districts. It also establishes a personal
limitation from the smallest to biggest of
15 percent.
Congressional action in this field has
been mentioned. At one point the Congres-
sional bill did include the 15 percent stand-
ing. Again, I am sorry I am not current
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