Democrats OK new redistricting bill

CARSON CITY -- In a move likely to garner another veto, Assembly Democrats on a party-line vote Wednesday approved a modestly changed version of the Democratic redistricting bill vetoed Saturday by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Assemblyman Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, even told members before the vote that only "minor changes" had been made to the vetoed version of Assembly Bill 566.

All 26 Democrats then voted for the bill, which redraws the boundaries of all legislative and congressional districts, while all 16 Republicans once again voted against the plan. That's two votes short of the total Democrats need to override a veto.

No Republicans bothered to make a floor speech giving reasons for their opposition.

Republican leaders do not expect an agreement can be reached on redistricting before the scheduled June 6 adjournment of the Legislature, and they have said a judge ultimately will settle the issue.

Lawsuits have been filed in state District Court in Carson City and in U.S. District Court in Reno.

In a hearing of the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee on Tuesday, several Republicans complained that Democrats have not allowed a full-fledged hearing on their redistricting plan.

The bill will be forwarded to the next hearing, likely today, of the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee.

In his veto message, Sandoval contended the Democratic plan diluted the voting strength of Hispanics -- now 26.5 percent of Nevada's population -- by concentrating them into as few legislative districts as possible. All Hispanic legislators, however, are Democrats, and all 10 voted for the Democratic plan.

In a brief floor speech, Segerblom called AB566 a "common sense" approach to redistricting that "puts people before politics."

Segerblom noted the biggest change made to the bill was the redrawing of the 3rd Congressional District, represented by Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., so that it's entirely within Clark County.

In the original Democratic plan, Heck's district consisted of part of Clark County and predominantly Republican rural counties in the western half of Nevada.

Segerblom said Heck's district was redrawn because of complaints that the district always has been entirely in Clark County and should remain there.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.