Published by the Florida Center for Government Accountability
Democrats propose lifting veil of secrecy on preliminary redistricting plans
Legislative Democrats have proposed repealing public-records exemptions that shield deliberations over the drawing of new state House and Senate and congressional district boundaries.
The legislation from Rep. Joseph Geller, representing parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, and Sen. Annette Taddeo, of Miami-Dade, comes as the Legislature gets down to work on redrawing district lined in accordance to the most recent census.
“It is essential that this redistricting records exemption be repealed. I am concerned that even though members have been urged to retain all records, by law, Florida Statutes currently exempts redistricting communications and draft maps from public records,” Taddeo said in a written statement.
“Redistricting is the public’s business, and the public has a right to know what’s going on. This is really just a part of the transparency we’ve been promised,” Geller said.