Our Pennsylvania Legislature is rapidly approaching a legislative crossroads that will have far-reaching consequences. Will it reflect the will of the citizens it claims to represent or continue down the path of hyper-partisanship, gridlock and dysfunction?

In 2021, all Pennsylvania House and Senate and congressional districts will be redrawn following the 2020 Census. Under the present system, legislators draw these districts and, in many cases, ensure that a particular candidate or party gains or remains in power.

To date, over 380 municipal and county resolutions have been passed and over 100,000 petition signatures gathered in support of creating an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission with strict rules for transparency, impartiality and accountability. A recent poll found that 67% of Pennsylvania voters favor an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Many of our legislators are calling for transparency in government, yet refuse to have a vote on bills that will help provide this when drawing legislative and congressional districts that we will live with for the next 10 years.

Legislation creating this independent commission was introduced in the House in April 2019 and has more co-sponsors than any bill this session. The two bills sit in the House State Government Committee without a vote. Yet during the present COVID-19 crisis, it has been demonstrated that bills can be submitted and passed within days or even hours. The same scenario exists with the same legislation in the Senate. The clock is ticking and action on these bills must be taken before the summer recess.

It is time to pass legislation that creates a more impartial, transparent and fair system of redistricting to help ensure that all citizens’ voices can be heard. It is time to return to the high democratic principles that our great commonwealth was founded upon.

JEAN HANDLEY
Harrisburg

First Published: May 19, 2020, 4:00 a.m.