Associated Press
February 15, 2008
PANELS DODGE RECORDED VOTE ON REDISTRICTING COMMISSION BILL
By Bob Lewis
AP Political Writer

Richmond, VA - Efforts to have a bipartisan commission redraw the state's legislative and congressional districts died Friday in a partisan power play.

On unrecorded votes, a Republican-controlled subcommittee and then a full committee killed the redistricting measure that passed the Senate 33-5 with bipartisan support.
The legislation would have taken reapportionment out of the hands of the political party that controls the General Assembly beginning in 2011.

The Constitution requires district boundaries to be redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes reflected in each decennial U.S. census. Democrats used it to protect or maximize their majorities when they controlled the House and Senate, as Republicans did the first time they controlled the process in 2001.
Critics say the party-driven process creates districts so entrenched behind one party that they shield incumbents from serious challenges.

 The bill, by Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, would have created a seven-member redistricting commission. Four of the members would be appointed directly by Democratic and Republican leaders from the House and Senate. Two others would be appointed by the chairmen of the state Democratic and Republican parties. Those six members _ three from each party _ would then choose a seventh person to preside over the panel. If they can't agree, the state Supreme Court would select from the two finalists.

The first vote on the bill Friday came in a 7 a.m. meeting of a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee. Its three GOP members, on a voice vote, opposed the bill, while its two Democrats supported it.

"Democracy in action," one dismayed spectator said after the vote, drawing a swift, sharp rebuke from the subcommittee chairman, Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk.
The subcommittee had earlier defeated similar House versions of the bill in January, each on unrecorded party-line votes.

Later Friday morning, Del. James M. Scott, D-Fairfax, sought to resurrect the bill for a recorded vote before the full committee. Committee Chairman Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania, put the motion to a voice vote, with the panel's GOP majority voting no.
"Nays have it. Meeting is adjourned," Cole said, igniting a partisan, parliamentary skirmish. "Meeting is adjourned," Cole said again over Democratic protests.

"Meeting can't be adjourned, we don't have a (vote) count," Scott said.

"I've ruled on the ...," Cole began, but Scott broke in.

"You can't rule on a count without getting a count. There is no count, Mr. Chairman," Scott said.

"All right," Cole relented as his fellow Republicans headed toward the doors, "all those in favor, raise your hand."

Democrats again clamored for a recorded roll call vote. "Ayes and nays!" they shouted as Cole noted eight hands in support of the motion and 10 against it.

"No. Committee is adjourned," Cole said. "Make your motion next meeting."
The moment of political theater was another opportunity for legislative Democrats to assail House Republicans over rules that allow House subcommittees, often meeting before dawn and after dark and with little notice, to kill legislation without recorded votes.

News organizations and open-government watchdog groups joined House Democrats in denouncing the process. Republicans defended it as a way to streamline the handling of thousands of bills and noted that legislative backers of bills killed in subcommittees have the opportunity for a recorded vote by asking the full committee to consider the bill.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat and a supporter of the bipartisan redistricting commission proposal, shook his head when asked about the bill's death.

"Just change the topic. Every day we'll hear about another unrecorded subcommittee vote," Kaine said.

Republicans, he said, might benefit more from a bipartisan redistricting process in three years, Kaine said.

"Frankly, if I were looking at it from the other party's side, I would think it would have a lot of real merit because of the way things are going," he said.

He was referring to Democratic inroads in legislative elections each year since 2003, including his party winning its first state Senate majority in 12 years last fall. Democrats have also won the past two gubernatorial races and the 2006 U.S. Senate race.

Republicans hold 53 of the House's 100 seats; Democrats have 44, and independents who usually vote with the GOP hold two.