Does Your State Senator or State Representative Oppose Non-Partisan Redistricting Reform?

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Press Release

September 4, 2013

CONTACT:

Jay Heck – 608/256-2686

Does Your State Senator or State Representative Oppose
Non-Partisan Redistricting Reform?

Lazich and August Ignoring Statewide Call for Public Hearings

The Wisconsin Legislature comes back into session this month (for three days) but not a peep yet from State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) or State Representative Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) on when the legislative committees they chair will hold public hearings on non-partisan redistricting reform legislation -- Senate Bill 163 and Assembly Bill 185 (which are identical).
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Despite the fact that every major newspaper editorial board in Wisconsin and hundreds of Wisconsin citizens have called for hearings on this needed, common-sense legislation, Lazich and August remain unresponsive. Lazich has public hearings scheduled for this morning on five minor and largely unnecessary, partisan election-related measures that no one has clamored for, and on a misguided measure -- Senate Bill 268 -- that attempts to inject more partisanship into the non-partisan Government Accountability Board by doubling the number of candidates from which the Governor can choose so that he (or she) can have a better opportunity to select G.A.B. members more to his or her "liking." No one, other than the few disgruntled legislators who want the G.A.B. to be less independent and more responsive to their partisan concerns, thinks this is a good idea. It's not.

In the past we have released the complete list of Wisconsin Legislators who have co-sponsored either Senate Bill 163 or Assembly Bill 185 or both. Today we are detailing all of the Members of the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly who have not co-sponsored SB 163/AB185 and, presumably, oppose it:



Note to legislators: If you support SB163/AB185, but your name is listed above, contact us and we will make sure you are listed as a supporter of redistricting reform.

If your State Senator and/or State Representative are listed above, please contact them immediately -- and implore them to co-sponsor SB 163/AB 185 and to support non-partisan redistricting reform. Urge them to tell Sen. Lazich and Rep. August to hold public hearings on the legislation even if those committee chairs don't support it. This isn't Russia or China after all. This is Wisconsin, where all opinions deserve at least a public hearing -- and used to get at least that.

To contact your State Senator and State Representative, go here.

If you are not sure who your State Representative and/or your State Senator are, go here.

We have been telling you all Summer we are not going away and we are going to continue to advance redistricting reform.

If you have not done so already -- or even if you have -- please make your voice heard on this vital issue!

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Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

608/256-2686