(Host) It appears that the Vermont House and Senate leaders have reached an agreement concerning a new reapportionment plan for the House. The details of the compromise are to be released later today.
When the Republican controlled House passed its redistricting plan several months ago, Democrats in that chamber complained that the proposal was unfair because it pitted several incumbent Democrats against one another in new districts.
The new compromise does address concerns over a new district in the Mad River Valley. The original House plan placed Warren and Lincoln in the same district, even though they are separated by a mountain. The new agreement allows several towns in the Mad River Valley to form their own district and Lincoln will be returned to a district in Addison County.
Londonderry Representative Rick Hube says lawmakers need to act quickly on the compromise because the new map needs to be reviewed by local Civil Authority Boards before the Legislature can give its final approval to the plan.
(Hube) "We’re up against a big time frame on the House because the House has to go to the boards of civil authority and historically it’s gone out there for a month. From my perspective, there’s been discussion of trying to shorten that from two to four weeks. I don’t agree with that. I did that because we can’t do our work in a timely fashion doesn’t mean we have to force the towns to do it, to accelerate their schedule and maybe do some things that they might not do."
(Host) It’s expected that the conference committee report on reapportionment will be considered by both the full House and Senate by the end of the week.