A change in the way Kentucky lawmakers draw district lines is likely to end up in front of voters this fall. Senate Bill 18 gives legislators more direction in how to split counties during redistricting and requires them to follow federal law. It would throw decades of past state precedent out the window. The bill is partly a response to this year’s redistricting lawsuit, in which the state Supreme Court threw out new maps. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says he supports the change and says it will likely pass both chambers this session. If voters pass the constitutional amendment, the new rules will go into effect immediately. That will allow lawmakers to use those rules when they try legislative redistricting again in 2013.
Kenny Colston is the Frankfort Bureau Chief for Kentucky Public Radio (a collaborative effort of public radio stations in Kentucky). Colston has covered Kentucky's Capitol and state government since 2010. He is a Louisville native, and a graduate of the University of Kentucky. When he's not tracking down stories about Kentucky politics, you can often find him watching college sports, particularly football.