118 HR 7740 IH: Fair Representation Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2024-03-20
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Fair Representation Act
.(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Finding of constitutional authority.Title I—Ranked Choice VotingSec. 101. Requiring ranked choice voting for election of Senators and Representatives.Sec. 102. Applicability of enforcement provisions of Help America Vote Act of 2002.Sec. 103. Effective date.Title II—Multi-member DistrictsSec. 201. Requiring use of multi-member districts in certain States.Sec. 202. Election of representatives at large in certain States.Sec. 203. Establishing minimum number of candidates in general election.Sec. 204. Conforming amendments.Sec. 205. Prohibition on winner-take-all elections.Sec. 206. Exception for States in which use of multi-member or at large districts will result in diminishment of voting rights.Sec. 207. Effective date.Title III—Nonpartisan Redistricting ReformSec. 301. Requiring congressional redistricting plans to comply with nonpartisan criteria.Sec. 302. Ban on mid-decade redistricting.Sec. 303. Criteria for redistricting.Sec. 304. Development of plan.Sec. 305. Failure by State to enact plan.Sec. 306. Civil enforcement.Sec. 307. Effective date.Title IV—General ProvisionsSec. 401. No effect on elections for State and local office.Sec. 402. Severability.2.Finding of constitutional authorityCongress finds that it has the authority to establish the terms and conditions States must follow in carrying out congressional redistricting after an apportionment of Members of the House of Representatives and in administering elections for the Senate and House of Representatives because—(1)the authority granted to Congress under article I, section 4 of the Constitution of the United States gives Congress the power to enact laws governing the time, place, and manner of elections for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives;(2)the authority granted to Congress under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to enforce section 2 of such amendment, which requires Representatives to be apportioned among the several States according to their number; and(3)the authority granted to Congress under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to enforce section 1 of such amendment, including protections against excessive partisan gerrymandering that Federal courts have not enforced because they understand such enforcement to be committed to Congress by the Constitution.<enum>I</enum><header>Ranked Choice Voting</header><section id="HE87632CDFDEB40E3877D1D54FD38662C"><enum>101.</enum><header>Requiring ranked choice voting for election of Senators and Representatives</header><subsection id="HED5E1F78589444B09C50266121036A8F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2001 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21081">52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subtitle:</text><quoted-block id="H5B9C38A874294FFD88A0A31770DD1124" style="OLC"><subtitle id="H306E3F9F1F7F4A92BFB8335B34687529"><enum>C</enum><header>Ranked Choice Voting</header><part id="H83234388F261494DA9710C649D7628E4"><enum>1</enum><header>Requiring Ranked Choice Voting for Election of Senators and Representatives</header><section id="HC244953DA14E4C7C9DF5424079054EAE"><enum>321.</enum><header>Requiring ranked choice voting for election of Senators and Representatives</header><subsection id="H7A5359D4B1F04B9F9D1C658747EED0A8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Ranked choice voting</header><text>Except as provided in section 205 of the Fair Representation Act, each State shall carry out elections for the office of Senator and the office of Representative in Congress using ranked choice voting, a system under which each voter may rank the candidates for the office in the order of the voter’s preference, and ballots are tabulated, in accordance with the following:</text><paragraph id="H73116515ABCC4E41819D536EFC1B03CD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In any single-seat election and any election for the office of Senator, the State shall carry out the election using single-seat ranked choice voting as described in section 322(a).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0C75CABA7A1D4CC18E7BA410873B98E9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In any multi-seat election, the State shall carry out the election using multi-seat ranked choice voting as described in section 322(b).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE524AD647D2746349C053ED06D6C4B38"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Ballot design</header><paragraph id="H57CE8BC1C0734CCF8C0044CE5FCCE84F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Each State shall ensure that the ballot used in an ranked choice voting election under this title meets each of the following requirements:</text><subparagraph id="HA3419EA2DDF041849F14E32E1E1455FB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The ballot shall allow voters to rank candidates in order of choice.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7D54F700E9A44F3BA23291905095102B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The number of candidates whom a voter may rank in the election, as determined under paragraph (2), shall be uniform for all voters in the election within the State</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDB378229D22D4AA6A2D43FDC968851B6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The ballot shall include all qualified candidates for the election and (to the extent permitted under State law) options for voters to select write-in candidates.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3248833E319E4A18884315E0139BF1DF"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The ballot shall include such instructions as the State considers necessary to enable the voter to rank candidates and successfully cast the ballot under the system.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H9859DBB171824D1285EC586E19E4B6B8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Determination of number of candidates voter may rank</header><text>The number of candidates a voter may rank in a ranked choice voting election shall be determined as follows:</text><subparagraph id="H03EF80D2BC0F4F28B0B22B75427FE262"><enum>(A)</enum><text>If feasible, the ballot shall permit voters to rank a number of candidates in the election which is not fewer than the number of seats in the election plus 4.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFCA30BD1B2AD43DA97A14F4BC556022F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>If the number of candidates in the election is less than the number of ranking provided under subparagraph (A), the ballot shall permit voters to rank a number of candidates which is not fewer than the number of candidates in the election, including write-in candidates.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFB1351A25EE54269B029109AF603BAAE"><enum>(C)</enum><text>If it is not feasible for the ballot to permit voters to rank as many candidates as required under subparagraphs (A) or (B), the State may limit the number of candidates who may be ranked for each election on the ballot to a maximum feasible number established by the State, except that such number may not be less than 5 for any election on the ballot.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HF6A9645525E24D13B45BEA263C124365"><enum>322.</enum><header>Tabulation of ballots</header><subsection id="H544DF6498D2C4A4EB61799860B255911"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Tabulation for single-Seat congressional elections</header><paragraph id="H0FFA3815F66C49BFB4850BD5BDDDF226"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Process for tabulation</header><text>In the case of a single-seat election, each ballot cast in the election shall count as one vote for the highest-ranked active candidate on the ballot. Tabulation shall proceed in rounds as described in paragraphs (2) and (3).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1C725AC7DBB747E48F595A171DFE6D31"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Elimination of candidates during tabulation</header><text>If there are more than two active candidates, the active candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, each vote cast on a ballot for the eliminated candidate shall be counted for the next-ranked active candidate on the ballot, and a new round shall begin.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEF0B220B263A4E88B64E3FB286E779AE"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Completion of tabulation; election of candidate</header><text>When there are two or fewer active candidates—</text><subparagraph id="H6A464C0336984C4AB23B2A24167AE9DB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>tabulation is complete; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE803DCBDEBEA4D84869E5FF5F680CA3D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to the office of Senator or Representative in Congress (or, in the case of a primary election, shall advance to the general election for such office as provided under the law of the State involved).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5A588365865741C2B4790983AAAB8DC8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Tabulation for multi-Seat congressional elections</header><text>—</text><paragraph id="H99C9ADFA280F48B587AB9B5E0C817986"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Process for tabulation</header><text>In the case of a multi-seat election, each ballot cast in the election shall count at its current transfer value for the highest-ranked active candidate on the ballot. Tabulation shall proceed as described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA7CBA47D955E4EAFB53EEB6AE1ABDE09"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Election of candidates during tabulation; surplus-transfer round</header><text>If any active candidate has a number of votes greater than or equal to the election threshold, that candidate shall be designated as elected, and the surplus votes shall be transferred to other candidates as follows:</text><subparagraph id="H4636F27CD93E4F42A48BADE849E7AFEE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Unless paragraph (4) applies, each ballot counting for an elected candidate shall be assigned a new transfer value by multiplying the ballot’s current transfer value by the surplus fraction for the elected candidate, truncated after 4 decimal places.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0139E015F2604A00BEB7C10E1EC28DB9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Each candidate elected under this paragraph shall be deemed to have a number of votes equal to the election threshold for the contest in all future rounds, each ballot counting towards the elected candidate shall be transferred at its new transfer value to its next-ranked active candidate, and a new round shall begin.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE8AAB8F47AD14E1AB5491FFF673F2BC0"><enum>(C)</enum><text>If two or more candidates have a number of votes greater than the election threshold, the surpluses shall be distributed simultaneously in the same round.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3516AB47B0C54C0492194DDAF558961B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Elimination of candidates during tabulation; elimination round</header><text>Unless paragraph (2) or paragraph (4) applies, the active candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, each vote cast on a ballot for the eliminated candidate shall be counted for the next-ranked active candidate on the ballot, and a new round shall begin.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H73DA6881CDD24560B96794C420A45712"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Completion of tabulation</header><text>Tabulation in a multi-seat election is complete if—</text><subparagraph id="HEFAA97E9C9974F56B49B36A35AE4958B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the number of elected candidates is equal to the number of seats to be filled and any remaining votes in excess of the election threshold have been counted for each ballot’s next-ranked active candidate; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H76351CB2FC99498E9F9458D47246D157"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the sum of the number of elected candidates and the number of active candidates is less than or equal to the number of seats to be filled at any time.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2D2EC831B8B04DF7B6104D0DDD479AA3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Treatment of certain ballots</header><paragraph id="HDF72D763A39F4C78BE790BA489BB1768"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Treatment of undervotes</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A ballot which is an undervote shall not be counted in any round of tabulation of ballots in an election under this section. For purposes of this paragraph, an <quote>undervote</quote> is a ballot for which the voter does not rank any of the candidates in the election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H316777B58DBE477F9B960A2B68488287"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Treatment of inactive ballots</header><subparagraph id="HB216CBF7A54041BB93BB70274CE36381"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A ballot which becomes an inactive ballot shall no longer count for any candidate for the remainder of the tabulation of ballots in an election under this section after the ballot becomes inactive.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9CE1268FE9714401ACB7210BE0A1EA90"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Inactive ballot defined</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, an <quote>inactive ballot</quote> is a ballot on which—</text><clause id="HC3807CD33F734BE2BC27886850B8842B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>all of the ranked candidates on the ballot have become inactive; or</text></clause><clause id="HDE3BC3E11AA3451C9855E143F63D9624"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the voter ranks more than one candidate at the same ranking and all candidates at a higher ranking have become inactive.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF09C76671F7647EDB8E6CFE3B435FD3C"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Treatment of skipped or repeated rankings</header><subparagraph id="H630878167CFF4C84A0A602F1965BA25D"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A ballot which includes any skipped or repeated ranking shall remain active and continue to be counted for the highest-ranked active candidate in an election under this section.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2E9A1758ADF94493A6810FEE520114DE"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Skipped and repeated rankings defined</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph—</text><clause id="HD3EC123BCE2841288B449648B0E7887D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a <quote>skipped ranking</quote> is a ranking a voter does not assign to any candidate while assigning a subsequent ranking to a candidate; and</text></clause><clause id="HF687FCCE141947998D95056E506B1D22"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a <quote>repeated ranking</quote> is a ranking for which the voter has assigned the same candidate that the voter assigned to another ranking. </text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HCF039C34E6B04919A9AF2BEBADB32D3B"><enum>323.</enum><header>Treatment of ties between candidates</header><subsection id="H036BC84C1C844BB5A1A1F98C21430222"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Resolution by lot</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a tie occurs between candidates with the greatest number of votes or the fewest number of votes at any point in the tabulation of ballots under this part and the tabulation cannot proceed until the tie is resolved, the tie shall be resolved by lot or by such other method as may be provided under State law.</text></subsection><subsection id="HF20613CEAF8F4B709E2A2B57529B6DD3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Resolution prior to tabulation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prior to tabulation, the chief election official of the State may resolve prospective ties between candidates by lot or according to the method provided under State law, as described in subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="HAC421769AB7E40569E3C341291A4720A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Use during recount</header><text> The result of the resolution of any tie shall be recorded and reused for purposes of any recount under State law.</text></subsection></section><section id="HF983E34465AF4E09AEF987DA5F07CA2A"><enum>324.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this part, the following definitions apply:</text><paragraph id="HB04B0D9B6893411C87A15B6D9BAB02C9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The term <quote>active candidate</quote> means, with respect to any round of tabulation under this part, a candidate who has not been elected or eliminated, and who is not a withdrawn candidate.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF9A83D2AFA564AF1B72E989529D36F64"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The term <quote>election threshold</quote> means the number of votes sufficient for a candidate to be elected in a multi-seat election. Such number is equal to the total votes counted for active candidates in the first round of tabulation, divided by the sum of one plus the number of seats to be filled, then increased by one, disregarding any fractions. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0E1D12F6AAEB40EAAF96457179F4837D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The term <quote>highest-ranked active candidate</quote> means the active candidate assigned to a higher ranking than any other active candidate.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC0C633BA62BC479188E82D18D127F6B4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The term <quote>multi-seat election</quote> means any primary election in which more than one candidate in the primary election will advance to the general election, any special election for more than one seat, and any general election in which more than one Representative is elected at large or in a multi-member district.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9204F7255DDF4DD9A8D343347CE223AB"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The term <quote>ranking</quote> means the number available to be assigned by a voter to a candidate to express the voter’s choice for that candidate, with <quote>1</quote> as the highest ranking and each succeeding positive number as the next highest ranking.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H97A6E7147337468FAA119B6D172025CE"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The term <quote>single-seat election</quote> means any primary election in which exactly one candidate in the primary election will advance to the general election, any special election for exactly one seat, any general election for the office of Senator, and any general election in which only one Representative is elected at large.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDCCD9D9CC65442489DC92D4F738FF642"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The term <quote>surplus fraction</quote> means, with respect to an elected candidate as described in section 322(b)(1), the number obtained by subtracting the election threshold from the candidate’s vote total, then dividing that number by the candidate’s vote total, truncated after four decimal places.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HABC6290AB4C44263B5DE17F5866F0345"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The term <quote>transfer value</quote> means the proportion of a vote that a ballot will contribute to its highest-ranked active candidate. Each ballot begins with a transfer value of 1. If a ballot contributes to the election of a candidate under section 322(b)(1), the transfer value shall be the new transfer value assigned under such section.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0C47730569C64F6E8FDBCD86E7F78E71"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The term <quote>vote total</quote> means, with respect to a candidate in a round of counting, the total transfer value of all ballots counting for the candidate in the round.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1A4F749156F749B68B38E66EAC102D41"><enum>(10)</enum><text>The term <quote>withdrawn candidate</quote> means a candidate who, prior to the date of the election, files or has an authorized designee file a signed letter of withdrawal from the election, in accordance with such rules as the chief election official of the State may establish.</text></paragraph></section></part><part id="H6E4F6622F06B479CBBB3DC3587CD9A76"><enum>2</enum><header>Payments to States to Implement Ranked Choice Voting</header><section id="HDCD29A5836C1454B8EF5AC94507D73BB"><enum>331.</enum><header>Payments to States to implement ranked choice voting</header><subsection id="HAF02888184824A4A852C9ECC3DE751D7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Payments described</header><paragraph id="HBDA01F1A543F40D1808D95295367E2A2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Payments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than June 1, 2025, the Commission shall make a payment to each State in the amount determined with respect to the State under paragraph (2).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H38F2EBD214D94F5099F07E6ACF9016B9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Amount determined on basis of number of registered voters</header><subparagraph id="H1C0808BF16D740638A2D8728845A11F1"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amount determined under this paragraph is the product of—</text><clause id="H6F310038E53F46258E300831101A2A9F"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the number of individuals registered to vote in elections for Federal office in the State, based on the most recently available information on voter registration in the State, as provided to the Commission by the State; and</text></clause><clause id="H3110423F59F346BB9022D462D8468777"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the per capita amount established by the Commission under subparagraph (B).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBA9DDEABAA75411689421B35E55BFA6B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Per capita amount</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of this paragraph, the Commission shall establish a separate, appropriate per capita payment amount for each State that may be no less than $4 and no more than $8, taking into account any reasonable demonstrated or estimated costs associated with the use of ranked choice voting, including costs related to voting equipment updates; election setup licensing costs; programming; ballot design and printing; training; processing, canvassing, centralization, and tabulation; preliminary and final results reporting and displaying; post-election audits and recounts; and voter information, education, and engagement.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H47C3753D07B34ED29FC4934C27141D1F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>A State shall use the payment made under subsection (a) to implement ranked choice voting under this subtitle, including educating voters about ranked choice voting, and to otherwise carry out elections for Federal office in the State.</text></subsection><subsection id="H9B48616CE85141F3B43E6BED7C4AD1C1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>No effect on requirements payments</header><text>The receipt or use of the payment made under this section shall not affect a State’s eligibility for or use of a requirements payment made under part 1 of subtitle D of title II.</text></subsection><subsection id="H044F16D08E92441992C36EAE9B152FFD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for payments under this section.</text></subsection></section></part><part id="HECDB0E7C58E247F7973C9CF587A1EAC9"><enum>3</enum><header>General Provisions</header><section id="H16E3CA1F8E124C33A2F7055D42A98CC4"><enum>341.</enum><header>Treatment of States not holding primary elections prior to date of general election</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to require a State to hold a primary election for the office of Senator or Representative in Congress prior to the date established under section 25 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/7">2 U.S.C. 7</external-xref>) for the regularly scheduled general election for such office, so long as the determination of the candidates who are elected to such office is based solely on the votes cast with respect to the election held on such date, as determined in accordance with the system of ranked choice voting under this title.</text></section><section id="H0D4B6794EAB2484A935199E96A71EC6A"><enum>342.</enum><header>Application to District of Columbia and territories</header><subsection id="H8F79DDB71EF344DF86BB41FF0BE777CB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Election of delegates and resident commissioner</header><text>In this subtitle, the term <term>Representative</term> includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.</text></subsection><subsection id="HEC1026605986480E9C361693282DFC53"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application to Northern Mariana Islands</header><text>This subtitle shall apply with respect to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the same manner as this subtitle applies to a State.</text></subsection></section></part></subtitle><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H6A3DE01A566145E69D7823915E7AF3F7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the item relating to title III the following:</text><toc container-level="title-container" quoted-block="yes-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" idref="HB0FEF6BA55D645F3BDAAF01F02A8227B" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded"><toc-quoted-entry style="OLC"><toc-entry idref="H306E3F9F1F7F4A92BFB8335B34687529" level="subtitle">Subtitle C—Ranked Choice Voting</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H83234388F261494DA9710C649D7628E4" level="part">Part 1—Requiring Ranked Choice Voting for Election of Senators and Representatives</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HC244953DA14E4C7C9DF5424079054EAE" level="section">Sec. 321. Requiring ranked choice voting for election of Senators and Representatives.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HF6A9645525E24D13B45BEA263C124365" level="section">Sec. 322. Tabulation of ballots.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HCF039C34E6B04919A9AF2BEBADB32D3B" level="section">Sec. 323. Treatment of ties between candidates.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HF983E34465AF4E09AEF987DA5F07CA2A" level="section">Sec. 324. Definitions.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H6E4F6622F06B479CBBB3DC3587CD9A76" level="part">Part 2—Payments to States To Implement Ranked Choice Voting</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HDCD29A5836C1454B8EF5AC94507D73BB" level="section">Sec. 331. Payments to States to implement ranked choice voting.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HECDB0E7C58E247F7973C9CF587A1EAC9" level="part">Part 3—General Provisions</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H16E3CA1F8E124C33A2F7055D42A98CC4" level="section">Sec. 341. Treatment of States not holding primary elections prior to date of general election.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H0D4B6794EAB2484A935199E96A71EC6A" level="section">Sec. 342. Application to District of Columbia and territories.</toc-entry></toc-quoted-entry></toc></subsection></section><section id="H226A40F225BF41299776F8FFB482F9A0"><enum>102.</enum><header>Applicability of enforcement provisions of Help America Vote Act of 2002</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21111">52 U.S.C. 21111</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>sections 301, 302, and 303</quote> and inserting <quote>title III</quote>.</text></section><section id="H3A724638167842FEB16C90B021927CD5"><enum>103.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title and the amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to—</text><paragraph id="HA6D672B8ED6443B8AD9FCE8853BE8173"><enum>(1)</enum><text>elections for the office of Senator which are held during 2026 or any succeeding year; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE30746DA371F4AACA83A5801F5233C08"><enum>(2)</enum><text>elections for the office of Representative which are held pursuant to the reapportionment of Representatives resulting from the regular decennial census conducted during 2030 and all subsequent elections.</text></paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Multi-member Districts</header><section id="H520A1FBC7A8F42BCBB38E2EC64C47635"><enum>201.</enum><header>Requiring use of multi-member districts in certain States</header><subsection id="HF9D793D059364B0FB8905753DDFC3AFA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rules for States with six or more representatives</header><text>Except as provided in section 202(b), if a State is entitled to six or more Representatives in Congress under an apportionment made under section 22(a) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress</quote>, approved June 18, 1929 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2a">2 U.S.C. 2a(a)</external-xref>), the State shall establish a number of districts for the election of Representatives in the State that is less than the number of Representatives to which the State is entitled, and Representatives shall be elected only from districts so established.</text></subsection><subsection id="H41C085F82ED9406886507E6F396511A9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Criteria for number of districts</header><text>In establishing the number of districts for the State under subsection (a), the State shall follow the following criteria:</text><paragraph id="HBA187BFB8EE8446CB8432A70767D8C9B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The State shall ensure that districts shall each have equal population per Representative as nearly as practicable, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC0E78C7823674206B008B3822E3100E1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The number of Representatives to be elected from any district may not be fewer than three or greater than five.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HE3AFB91A98AF4F7E8C16644F67DD9D8D"><enum>202.</enum><header>Election of representatives at large in certain States</header><subsection id="HF4AADDE6DDE942CDB8E9A7326A0C3C9C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Mandatory elections at large</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a State is entitled to five or fewer Representatives in Congress under an apportionment made under section 22(a) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress</quote>, approved June 18, 1929 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2a">2 U.S.C. 2a(a)</external-xref>), the State shall elect all such Representatives at large.</text></subsection><subsection id="H9D0A81DF0F014106B45C659A3FA18344"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Optional elections at large</header><text>If a State is entitled to six or seven Representatives in Congress under an apportionment made under section 22(a) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress</quote>, approved June 18, 1929 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2a">2 U.S.C. 2a(a)</external-xref>), the State may, at its option, elect all such Representatives at large.</text></subsection></section><section id="HD855B6F4CE034364A918E033A7EB69CA"><enum>203.</enum><header>Establishing minimum number of candidates in general election</header><subsection id="H6EA382EE1881460796C27B5803B18826"><enum>(a)</enum><header>States with partisan nominating primaries</header><paragraph id="H7901C538B2784985AA059AC4FB90B8B8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If, in a primary election for the office of Representative, the candidates that advance to the general election do so by winning the nomination of a political party (without regard to whether or not the election is open or closed to voters on the basis of political party preference), the State shall ensure that the number of candidates to be nominated by each political party is equal to the lesser of—</text><subparagraph id="H551F6D0872774058B1D36F3B041BAB80"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the number of Representatives who will be elected from the district involved; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB87A3C2256424B77B27CA3D43FD770EF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the number of candidates in the primary election.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H63A4D4D6058C4151BEC2A0404A59C8C9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Authority of political parties to determine number of candidates advancing in multi-seat elections</header><text>Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in the case of a primary election described in such paragraph which is a multi-seat primary election, a State may permit a political party to adopt a rule that provides for such number of nominees of that political party to advance to the general election as the party considers appropriate.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7AFB38E53CD24F0E86728E255352850E"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Multi-seat primary election defined</header><text>In this subsection, the term <term>multi-seat primary election</term> means a primary election held to select the candidates for a general election in which more than one Representative shall be elected.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H54C8775CCFA641CF9514A97DFC2BFEE0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>States with nonpartisan blanket primaries</header><paragraph id="HECC82736D3AD4967923F990B2619B3BB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Number of candidates</header><text>If a State uses a nonpartisan blanket primary election to determine which candidates will advance to the general election for the office of Representative, the State shall ensure that the number of candidates who advance to the general election for the office is not less than the greater of—</text><subparagraph id="H9912AD214D194165B548DA059038E453"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">five;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE6F6BA5E7FED479692F99AAF8412F891"><enum>(B)</enum><text>twice the number of Representatives who will be elected from the district involved; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3534CA37CE4E4DFF99D2CCEDC31C90D5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>such greater number as the State may establish by law.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE45B2BD9375D487FB7533C1554346464"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Nonpartisan blanket primary election defined</header><text>In this subsection, a <quote>nonpartisan blanket primary election</quote> is a primary election for the office of Representative conducted prior to the date established under section 25 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/7">2 U.S.C. 7</external-xref>) for the regularly scheduled general election for such office, under which—</text><subparagraph id="H3C780A7FDDAD411282AD261D23005DDA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>each candidate for such office, regardless of the candidate’s political party preference or lack thereof, shall appear on a single ballot;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5C86232DCDB84D32AA021D4293B08C8D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>each voter in the State who is eligible to vote in elections for Federal office in the district involved may cast a ballot in the election, regardless of the voter’s political party preference or lack thereof; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1948556CD4724893934B89D8F3C87E9B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the identification and number of candidates who advance to the general election for the office is determined without regard to the candidates’ political party preferences or lack thereof.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF5947CC53B1D4AD6B50DA44B481DCEC7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exception for states not holding primary elections prior to date of regularly scheduled general election</header><text>In the case of a State that does not hold primary elections for the office of Representative prior to the date established under section 25 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/7">2 U.S.C. 7</external-xref>) for the regularly scheduled general election for such offices, all seats shall be elected at the election taking place on such date.</text></subsection></section><section id="HEDC31726DBA54D19AB1455A3BCDA1626"><enum>204.</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><subsection id="H4E119A396D8E45EDA1C277F9E4C7D936"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Election of Representatives prior to reapportionment</header><text>Section 22(c) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress</quote>, approved June 18, 1929 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2a">2 U.S.C. 2a(c)</external-xref>), is amended by striking <quote>Until a State</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as provided in title II of the Fair Representation Act, until a State</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HFE3B33D5C18749A98DA2C75DCF39A02A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Number of Representatives</header><text>Section 22(b) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for apportioning Representatives in Congress among the several States by the equal proportions method</quote>, approved November 15, 1941 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2b">2 U.S.C. 2b</external-xref>), is amended by striking <quote>Each State</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as provided in title II of the Fair Representation Act, each State</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H98EA78A8D5854B83A4D9B5203D223064"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Number of Representatives from each district</header><text>The Act entitled <quote>An Act for the relief of Doctor Ricardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for congressional redistricting</quote>, approved December 14, 1967 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2c">2 U.S.C. 2c</external-xref>), is amended by striking <quote>In each State</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as provided in title II of the Fair Representation Act, in each State</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H83053A5AB149486D983381A00AD0F478"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Nomination for Representatives at large</header><text>Section 5 of the Act entitled <quote>An Act For the apportionment of Representatives in Congress among the several States under the Thirteenth Census</quote>, approved August 8, 1911 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/5">2 U.S.C. 5</external-xref>), is amended by striking <quote>Candidates for Representative</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as provided in title II of the Fair Representation Act, candidates for Representative</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="HE0B28588F99E4DA3BCD00A119408797A"><enum>205.</enum><header>Prohibition on winner-take-all elections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">If, for any reason, a State cannot use ranked choice voting under subtitle C of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by section 101, then in any election held at large or in a multi-winner district in which more than one Representative will be elected, all Representatives shall be elected using an election method that ensures the election of any candidate or any party or slate of candidates who earns a number of votes equal to or greater than the total votes counted for all candidates, divided by the sum of one plus the number of seats to be filled, then increased by one, disregarding any fractions..</text></section><section id="HA0CBC33390AE4A96858ED8EE5FB7F061"><enum>206.</enum><header>Exception for States in which use of multi-member or at large districts will result in diminishment of voting rights</header><subsection id="HE644166C388E49F9BA7637F4BA226A21"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Exception</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, in an action brought under section 306, the court determines that the use of multi-member or at large districts by a State, as set forth in the congressional redistricting plan of a State with respect to the apportionment of Representatives resulting from a decennial census, indicates that the redistricting plan will deny or abridge the right to vote by having the effect of diminishing the ability of any citizens of the United States on account of race or color, or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10303">52 U.S.C. 10303(f)(2)</external-xref>), to elect their preferred candidates of choice—</text><paragraph id="HED31616A3C0F4FE5BE8727827DB365B4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>this title shall not apply with respect to any election held in the State which is based on the apportionment of Representatives to which such redistricting plan would apply; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBC8D8644FE244199B26A63000883DEEE"><enum>(2)</enum><text>subject to section 306(c), the court shall develop and publish a redistricting plan for the State which meets the requirements of title III and under which there are no multi-member districts in the State.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H081A71F1A07843B6ADBBC62A21A57BD4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>No effect on other requirements</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to waive the application of any of the other titles of this Act or the amendments made by any of the other titles of this Act to a State for which there are no multi-member districts as a result of this section, including the requirement to use ranked choice voting as set forth in title I or the requirement that the congressional redistricting plan of a State meet the requirements of title III.</text></subsection></section><section id="H7F9CC93E5F604E82BBFBDF91561268F6"><enum>207.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title and the amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to the One Hundred Twenty-Third Congress and each subsequent Congress.</text></section><enum>III</enum><header>Nonpartisan Redistricting Reform</header><section id="H2820868B995F44978EDE50910E333750"><enum>301.</enum><header>Requiring congressional redistricting plans to comply with nonpartisan criteria</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">A State may not use a congressional redistricting plan enacted if such plan is not in compliance with section 303.</text></section><section id="HAFA51BC1DC154C1989DD146A04D20D58"><enum>302.</enum><header>Ban on mid-decade redistricting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">A State that has been redistricted in accordance with this title may not be redistricted again until after the next apportionment of Representatives under section 22(a) of the Act entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress</quote>, approved June 18, 1929 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/2a">2 U.S.C. 2a</external-xref>), unless a court requires the State to conduct such subsequent redistricting to comply with the Constitution of the United States, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>), or the terms or conditions of this title.</text></section><section id="H8F404739C07240629DC0DEE0BABB5329"><enum>303.</enum><header>Criteria for redistricting</header><subsection id="H993088CA99F44F14BA1156786B228D5C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Ranked criteria</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The redistricting plan of a State shall be developed in accordance with the following criteria, as set forth in the following order of priority: </text><paragraph id="HD51A64F83434411F8F320C07ED322FF5"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Districts shall comply with the Constitution of the United States, including the requirement that they substantially equalize total population, without regard to age, citizenship status, or immigration status.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H62CAC7B20B954BF0AC369FE6BCAE854C"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Districts shall comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>), and all applicable Federal laws.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H416BB2A286D9450C997EF18B6D905083"><enum>(3)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H87C39431EF454C78B715E2C375FCB0EA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Districts shall be drawn, to the extent that the totality of the circumstances warrant, to ensure the practical ability of a group protected under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>), whether alone or in coalition with others, to participate in the political process and to nominate candidates and to elect representatives of choice is not diluted or diminished.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5E5C577840ED4CE580EFC0F87B7E4195" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of subparagraph (A), the assessment of whether a protected group has the practical ability to nominate candidates and to elect representatives of choice shall require the consideration of the following factors:</text><clause id="H985B1342DAC44F68BE968A45A3864742"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Whether the group is politically cohesive.</text></clause><clause id="HD5034569985E42E7AD18BAB46DB9CAD4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>Whether there is racially polarized voting in the relevant geographic region.</text></clause><clause id="H36C0B1B4C7344917A39E758DE75768DD"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>If there is racially polarized voting in the relevant geographic region, whether the preferred candidates of the group nevertheless receive a sufficient amount of consistent crossover support from other voters such that the group has a real opportunity to both nominate candidates and elect representatives of choice.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H21EDF0E001704493B235201EE71D18D4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>To the extent practicable, districts shall reflect the diversity of political opinion in the State such that no district in the State—</text><subparagraph id="H0DFA4F803C7D483EAF067DF4DB4BFA97"><enum>(A)</enum><text>elects exactly 3 Representatives and the nominee of one political party for President received at least 75 percent of the votes cast in the geographic area covered by the district in 2 of the 3 most recent Presidential elections;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC76089349121438A9ACD3BF6C7F36E7B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>elects exactly 4 Representatives and the nominee of one political party for President received at least 80 percent of the votes cast in the geographic area covered by the district in 2 of the 3 most recent Presidential elections; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA43D36F461FA49D182E991B31B69E4A9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>elects exactly 5 Representatives and the nominee of one political party for President received at least 83 percent of the votes cast in the geographic area covered by the district in 2 of the 3 most recent Presidential elections.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0490E375AD7248BA904C912009551C0A"><enum>(5)</enum><text>To the greatest extent practicable the State shall minimize the number of districts electing 4 Representatives.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB84C6B745D2C4456A9DB6A5EB4E28927"><enum>(6)</enum><text>To the greatest extent practicable the State shall maximize the number of districts electing 5 Representatives.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4890D99FCC174C738BA5D6265CD6BA6A"><enum>(7)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HAA8F9D130C334804B61BFDCB50DB64D5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Districts shall be drawn to represent communities of interest and neighborhoods to the extent practicable after compliance with the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (6). A community of interest is defined as an area for which the record before the entity responsible for developing and adopting the redistricting plan demonstrates the existence of broadly shared interests and representational needs, including shared interests and representational needs rooted in common ethnic, racial, economic, Indian, social, cultural, geographic, or historic identities, or arising from similar socioeconomic conditions. The term communities of interest may, if the record warrants, include political subdivisions such as counties, municipalities, Indian lands, or school districts, but shall not include common relationships with political parties or political candidates.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCFB2E98D8CAC41D5B2C4E49DCABC3B5D" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>For purposes of subparagraph (A), in considering the needs of multiple, overlapping communities of interest, the entity responsible for developing and adopting the redistricting plan shall give greater weight to those communities of interest whose representational needs would most benefit from the community’s inclusion in a single congressional district.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H43B909CB3CAF42E0928DD74E18A639A5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>No favoring or disfavoring of political parties</header><paragraph id="HDCA2196BB9FD4076891A917751612DCE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A State may not use a redistricting plan to conduct an election if the plan’s congressional districts, when considered cumulatively on a statewide basis, have been drawn with the intent or have the effect of materially favoring or disfavoring any political party.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA2BB071358474A66915A5A51E6F8FD42"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Determination of effect</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The determination of whether a redistricting plan has the effect of materially favoring or disfavoring a political party shall be based on an evaluation of the totality of circumstances which, at a minimum, shall involve consideration of each of the following factors:</text><subparagraph id="HF248FEFBC1244838ACDC50502CEE79A2"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Computer modeling based on relevant statewide general elections for Federal office held over the 8 years preceding the adoption of the redistricting plan setting forth the probable electoral outcomes for the plan under a range of reasonably foreseeable conditions.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H306D3077767B4BF584D5D8B9E6762EC4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An analysis of whether the redistricting plan is statistically likely to result in partisan advantage or disadvantage on a statewide basis, the degree of any such advantage or disadvantage, and whether such advantage or disadvantage is likely to be present under a range of reasonably foreseeable electoral conditions.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5E34C271BBC0489FBF97516C8A1C1F20"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A comparison of the modeled electoral outcomes for the redistricting plan to the modeled electoral outcomes for alternative plans that demonstrably comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (a) in order to determine whether reasonable alternatives exist that would result in materially lower levels of partisan advantage or disadvantage on a statewide basis. For purposes of this subparagraph, alternative plans considered may include both actual plans proposed during the redistricting process and other plans prepared for purposes of comparison.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE8D93D15551D4FF3B80E52755A1EF055"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Any other relevant information, including how broad support for the redistricting plan was among members of the entity responsible for developing and adopting the plan and whether the processes leading to the development and adoption of the plan were transparent and equally open to all members of the entity and to the public.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFB6B12C1B08F445AB1CD8A40EA196FB8"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Determination of intent</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A court may rely on all available evidence when determining whether a redistricting plan was drawn with the intent to materially favor or disfavor a political party, including evidence of the partisan effects of a plan, the degree of support the plan received from members of the entity responsible for developing and adopting the plan, and whether the processes leading to development and adoption of the plan were transparent and equally open to all members of the entity and to the public.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H820977111EF44D5680E780E86146DAF9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>No violation based on certain criteria</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No redistricting plan shall be found to be in violation of paragraph (1) because of the proper application of the criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (a), unless one or more alternative plans could have complied with such paragraphs without having the effect of materially favoring or disfavoring a political party.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H337EE73FEBD24C9CA40130215D9FA06F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Factors prohibited from consideration</header><text>In developing the redistricting plan for the State, the State may not take into consideration any of the following factors, except as necessary to comply with the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (a), to achieve partisan fairness and comply with subsection (b), and to enable the redistricting plan to be measured against the external metrics described in section 304(c):</text><paragraph id="H5D453B717ADB4352869BA9A07511F231"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The residence of any Member of the House of Representatives, candidate, or any other individual who is eligible to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives from the State.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1EC96B3DED354B839037ED2DD6C67581"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The political party affiliation or voting history of the population of a district.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4E8355BE2BF44FF0A6B358066D6ACA63"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Additional criteria</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A State may not rely upon criteria, districting principles, or other policies of the State which are not set forth in this section to justify non-compliance with the requirements of this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7080B6D55CAF4284BAB00A1868DCBB1E"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Applicability</header><paragraph id="HA3ED9228B0C24ECE8C588AF87A587AE9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section applies to any authority, whether appointed, elected, judicial, or otherwise, responsible for enacting the congressional redistricting plan of a State.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H50B3C66632AB4BAEA8656CDFA14F46B9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Date of enactment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section applies to any congressional redistricting plan enacted following the regular decennial census conducted during 2030.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H473029D4FBBC4550981423250D4DD9EC"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Severability of criteria</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If any provision of this section, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this section, and the application of such provision to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the holding. </text></subsection></section><section id="HD748C62E644C4054B236A9A9F9836500"><enum>304.</enum><header>Development of plan</header><subsection id="HA674BDAFB98946A486EC57BCD8761EA2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Public notice and input</header><paragraph id="H5B2D3762B48C4594BBA2E4DD9C1E6BAD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Use of open and transparent process</header><text>The entity responsible for developing and adopting the congressional redistricting plan of a State shall solicit and take into consideration comments from the public throughout the process of developing the plan, and shall carry out its duties in an open and transparent manner which provides for the widest public dissemination reasonably possible of its proposed and final redistricting plans. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4BFEB1C4664649738E4A514893B9A6F5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Website</header><subparagraph id="HCA3ACEF5BB954191AECB38BA25686083"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Features</header><text>The entity shall maintain a public internet site which is not affiliated with or maintained by the office of any elected official and which includes the following features:</text><clause id="H63E08AB721054CCEB924F3CF819550C1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>All proposed redistricting plans and the final redistricting plan, including the accompanying written evaluation under subsection (c).</text></clause><clause id="H69304E50321E4CB0815C302DBC667381"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>All comments received from the public submitted under paragraph (1).</text></clause><clause id="H6E3E380B24374EE09D4E0FF8E25BBE80"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Access in an easily usable format to the demographic and other data used by the entity to develop and analyze the proposed redistricting plans, together with any reports analyzing and evaluating such plans and access to software that members of the public may use to draw maps of proposed districts.</text></clause><clause id="H0A120D76323345209E16F94A5416FE01"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>A method by which members of the public may submit comments directly to the entity.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC0F9C7F7468B4B01A480D5E61E4154EA"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Searchable format</header><text>The entity shall ensure that all information posted and maintained on the site under this paragraph, including information and proposed maps submitted by the public, shall be maintained in an easily searchable format. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFBC79A4A5B4D494DBA02452CCCB50B07"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Multiple language requirements for all notices</header><text>The entity responsible for developing and adopting the plan shall make each notice which is required to be posted and published under this section available in any language in which the State (or any jurisdiction in the State) is required to provide election materials under section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10503">52 U.S.C. 10503</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1C03D7996A7E428DAD912205AE6DA9F1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Development of plan</header><paragraph id="H2BBEDCAE90EB46E7B485444D869D376F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Hearings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The entity responsible for developing and adopting the congressional redistricting plan shall hold hearings both before and after releasing proposed plans in order to solicit public input on the content of such plans. These hearings shall—</text><subparagraph id="HBD07ADD0A3DD42A4872C5323FAD3E43A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>be held in different regions of the State and streamed live on the public internet site maintained under subsection (a)(2);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3C818732438B436F9FC57048C3386D62"><enum>(B)</enum><text>be sufficient in number, scheduled at times and places, and noticed and conducted in a manner to ensure that all members of the public, including members of racial, ethnic, and language minorities protected under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, have a meaningful opportunity to attend and provide input both before and after the entity releases proposed plans.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCF84F8B6D63C40C293F6861472FB3493"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Posting of maps</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The entity responsible for developing and adopting the congressional redistricting plan shall make proposed plans, amendments to proposed plans, and the data needed to analyze such plans for compliance with the criteria of this title available for public review, including on the public internet site required under subsection (a)(2), for a period of not less than 5 days before any vote or hearing is held on any such plan or any amendment to such a plan.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H506B9161C7B74606BDDD677AA3B3E127"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Release of written evaluation of plan against external metrics required prior To vote</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The entity responsible for developing and adopting the congressional redistricting plan for a State may not hold a vote on a proposed redistricting plan, including a vote in a committee, unless at least 48 hours prior to holding the vote the State has released a written evaluation that measures each such plan against external metrics which cover the criteria set forth in section 303(b), including the impact of the plan on the ability of members of a class of citizens protected by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>) to elect candidates of choice, the degree to which the plan preserves or divides communities of interest, and any analysis used by the State to assess compliance with the requirements of section 303(a) and (b).</text></subsection><subsection id="H38E6652964AC436594DA3A9C2FBD078E"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Public input and comments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The entity responsible for developing and adopting the congressional redistricting plan for a State shall make all public comments received about potential plans, including alternative plans, available to the public on the internet site required under subsection (a)(2), at no cost, not later than 24 hours prior to holding a vote on final adoption of a plan. </text></subsection></section><section id="H014016F2194A4053AC52EA6C4C87564E"><enum>305.</enum><header>Failure by State to enact plan</header><subsection id="HE33BE53D1E1D4A05906DAB780DAA8A8C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Deadline for enactment of plan</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), each State shall enact a final congressional redistricting plan following transmission of a notice of apportionment to the President by the earliest of—</text><paragraph id="H4062676680D64291963DCAF091A1143D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the deadline set forth in State law, including any extension to the deadline provided in accordance with State law;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8EBFE623E37D46C488943E4518C00115"><enum>(2)</enum><text>February 15 of the year in which regularly scheduled general elections for Federal office are held in the State; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB2D2CDB075334E26ABCD3D372F326ECB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>90 days before the date of the next regularly scheduled primary election for Federal office held in the State.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HAA75282AE9DD410D8C16BA84BDE55D2D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Development of plan by court in case of missed deadline</header><text>If a State has not enacted a final congressional redistricting plan by the applicable deadline under subsection (a), or it appears reasonably likely that a State will fail to enact a final congressional redistricting plan by such deadline—</text><paragraph id="H206EF958594542B186F03698386FA66D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>any citizen of the State may file an action in the United States district court for the applicable venue asking the district court to assume jurisdiction;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAF17CEB5DD04498D8AD8592D3B350D69"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the United States district court for the applicable venue, acting through a 3-judge court convened pursuant to section 2284 of title 28, United States Code, shall have the exclusive authority to develop and publish the congressional redistricting plan for the State; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3EB4876D48D341AC9A2EDF2321824C63"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the final congressional redistricting plan developed and published by the court under this section shall be deemed to be enacted on the date on which the court publishes the final congressional redistricting plan, as described in subsection (e). </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA9DF10B882C04195975DE92663DF0AFB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Applicable venue</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of this section, the <quote>applicable venue</quote> with respect to a State is the District of Columbia or the judicial district in which the Capital of the State is located, as selected by the first party to file with the court sufficient evidence that a State has failed to, or is reasonably likely to fail to, enact a final redistricting plan for the State prior to the expiration of the applicable deadline set forth in subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="HE868698BF4F147A99C7EF4D3F21EC233"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Procedures for Development of Plan</header><paragraph id="H5DD021A4437847078C66A03663FB09E7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Criteria</header><text>In developing a redistricting plan for a State under this section, the court shall adhere to the same terms and conditions that applied (or that would have applied, as the case may be) to the development of a plan by the State under section 303.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H113FDB19A9EB425BA7D2D8C3E29112C9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Access to information and records</header><text>The court shall have access to any information, data, software, or other records and material that was used (or that would have been used, as the case may be) by the State in carrying out its duties under this title.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5EE33742C3DA4297A546B0BA3E7EBF82"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Hearing; public participation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In developing a redistricting plan for a State, the court shall—</text><subparagraph id="H3CE6F72F475A43D39E97F497AFD9A347"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">hold one or more evidentiary hearings at which interested members of the public may appear and be heard and present testimony, including expert testimony, in accordance with the rules of the court; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1622041540364EF99BEB611AB237E53E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>consider other submissions and comments by the public, including proposals for redistricting plans to cover the entire State or any portion of the State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1E4C217D651F425E9CA95D85DF3F3A25"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Use of special master</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To assist in the development and publication of a redistricting plan for a State under this section, the court shall appoint a special master to make recommendations to the court on possible plans for the State.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H02B522DE71F642958D183EACE8B71A28"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Publication of plan</header><paragraph id="H7AB0E0464AD54567A009D6CEF5C53D7A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Public availability of initial plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Upon completing the development of one or more initial redistricting plans, the court shall make the plans available to the public at no cost, and shall also make available the underlying data used to develop the plans and a written evaluation of the plans against external metrics (as described in section 304(c)).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBB18711260B94C7AA577AD6FC9CC0DC5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Publication of final plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">At any time after the expiration of the 14-day period which begins on the date the court makes the plans available to the public under paragraph (1), and taking into consideration any submissions and comments by the public which are received during such period, the court shall develop and publish the final redistricting plan for the State.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H657880C0487D4B919A771C185CC42298"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Use of interim plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the event that the court is not able to develop and publish a final redistricting plan for the State with sufficient time for an upcoming election to proceed, the court may develop and publish an interim redistricting plan which shall serve as the redistricting plan for the State until the court develops and publishes a final plan in accordance with this section. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to limit or otherwise affect the authority or discretion of the court to develop and publish the final redistricting plan, including the discretion to make any changes the court deems necessary to an interim redistricting plan.</text></subsection><subsection id="HE50903FE08AC4E2F881D7361D6246EFA"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Appeals</header><text>Review on appeal of any final or interim plan adopted by the court in accordance with this section shall be governed by the appellate process in section 306. </text></subsection><subsection id="HB7B186A3D7874061ACAEFDE5D6326107"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Stay of State proceedings</header><text>The filing of an action under this section shall act as a stay of any proceedings in State court with respect to the State’s congressional redistricting plan unless otherwise ordered by the court. </text></subsection></section><section id="H96B8033CC36A4D90AA77F1CF0BD02CD8"><enum>306.</enum><header>Civil enforcement</header><subsection id="HC1EF89DB343B4E719F86E4B787331DFB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Civil Enforcement</header><paragraph id="H90ABA101A52443E8A3F121DF499E992A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Actions by Attorney General</header><text>The Attorney General may bring a civil action for such relief as may be appropriate to carry out this title.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9EEDB6FBDBF242AB9B1406B09DCBE036"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Availability of private right of action</header><subparagraph id="H80C6ADB81A124EE981D97F901424FBF8"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Any person residing or domiciled in a State who is aggrieved by the failure of the State to meet the requirements of the Constitution or Federal law, including this title, with respect to the State's congressional redistricting, may bring a civil action in the United States district court for the applicable venue for such relief as may be appropriate to remedy the failure.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE33036DB1FE746F7A072224D17CF4D95"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rule for claims relating to partisan advantage</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of subparagraph (A), a person who is aggrieved by the failure of a State to meet the requirements of section 303(b) may include—</text><clause id="H6F645121B4D34BDCA88E2EE457712F51"><enum>(i)</enum><text>any political party or committee in the State; and</text></clause><clause id="H9B25C2C686F04582A213F73652E2F3DE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>any registered voter in the State who resides in a congressional district that the voter alleges was drawn in a manner that contributes to a violation of such section.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0184E73904554AEA9A7531923E66A03E"><enum>(C)</enum><header>No awarding of damages to prevailing party</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except for an award of attorney’s fees under subsection (d), a court in a civil action under this section shall not award the prevailing party any monetary damages, compensatory, punitive, or otherwise.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4B06DB9F843F46059013520F0F16EC28"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Delivery of complaint to House and Senate</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any action brought under this section, a copy of the complaint shall be delivered promptly to the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H647F56020E17450C8C0CB96BE9B87A99"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Exclusive jurisdiction and applicable venue</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The district courts of the United States shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine claims asserting that a congressional redistricting plan violates the requirements of the Constitution or Federal law, including this title. The applicable venue for such an action shall be the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or for the judicial district in which the Capital of the State is located, as selected by the person bringing the action. In a civil action that includes a claim that a redistricting plan is in violation of subsection (a) or (b) of section 303, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia shall have jurisdiction over any defendant who has been served in any United States judicial district in which the defendant resides, is found, or has an agent, or in the United States judicial district in which the Capital of the State is located. Process may be served in any United States judicial district where a defendant resides, is found, or has an agent, or in the United States judicial district in which the Capital of the State is located.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2F625415BD6A4C5691B6B9C301EC4F0B"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Use of 3-judge court</header><text>If an action under this section raises statewide claims under the Constitution or this title, the action shall be heard by a 3-judge court convened pursuant to section 2284 of title 28, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H898CA55A359D4614A8D33E45D0F371A1"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Review of final decision</header><text>A final decision in an action brought under this section shall be reviewable on appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which shall hear the matter sitting en banc. There shall be no right of appeal in such proceedings to any other court of appeals. Such appeal shall be taken by the filing of a notice of appeal within 10 days of the entry of the final decision. A final decision by the Court of Appeals may be reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States by writ of certiorari.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3BBDD1CCDA5F4A26AD9AAC12C29BCFDF" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Expedited Consideration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any action brought under this section, it shall be the duty of the district court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States (if it chooses to hear the action) to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest possible extent the disposition of the action and appeal.</text></subsection><subsection id="HFDEFE7E68CC94702823958A1D16FD3ED"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Remedies</header><paragraph id="H2D3DDFA563C64210A0EB90D01A336680"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Adoption of replacement plan</header><subparagraph id="H97D3FBA25998449C911CB92F9F8B0911"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If the district court in an action under this section finds that the congressional redistricting plan of a State violates, in whole or in part, the requirements of this title—</text><clause id="H3C9FBCBFBE074F14A2A622203BEED20E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the court shall adopt a replacement congressional redistricting plan for the State in accordance with the process set forth in section 305; or</text></clause><clause id="HFC422CF30E6C499799848C720C9E299F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>if circumstances warrant and no delay to an upcoming regularly scheduled election for the House of Representatives in the State would result, the district court, in its discretion, may allow a State to develop and propose a remedial congressional redistricting plan for review by the court to determine whether the plan is in compliance with this title, except that—</text><subclause id="H0B146B2B99F649DC90DC014CD3852494"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the State may not develop and propose a remedial plan under this clause if the court determines that the congressional redistricting plan of the State was enacted with discriminatory intent in violation of the Constitution or section 303(b); and</text></subclause><subclause id="H1F63D16AD1F24E748AE11CFC6945D104"><enum>(II)</enum><text>nothing in this clause may be construed to permit a State to use such a remedial plan which has not been approved by the court.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H46ED1BA8784649F4847557418AEB8946"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Prohibiting use of plans in violation of requirements</header><text>No court shall order a State to use a congressional redistricting plan which violates, in whole or in part, the requirements of this title, or to conduct an election under terms and conditions which violate, in whole or in part, the requirements of this title.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1E423C87DF5A4D828476215FA871BB47"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Special rule in case final adjudication not expected within 3 months of election</header><clause id="H8EDDCACE4C874CC59C1BAFF1068E1CCA"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Duty of court</header><text>If final adjudication of an action under this section is not reasonably expected to be completed at least 3 months prior to the next regularly scheduled primary election for the House of Representatives in the State, the district court shall—</text><subclause id="H60063D76CA274C6C8D4D62213F7C9D63"><enum>(I)</enum><text>develop, adopt, and order the use of an interim congressional redistricting plan in accordance with section 305(f) to address any claims under this title for which a party seeking relief has demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success; or</text></subclause><subclause id="HE65F3D4161324285B84D8D51AAD5B983"><enum>(II)</enum><text>order adjustments to the timing of primary elections for the House of Representatives and other related deadlines, as needed, to allow sufficient opportunity for adjudication of the matter and adoption of a remedial or replacement plan for use in the next regularly scheduled general elections for the House of Representatives.</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H9BB1018A86C84541BCE78ACEB4508A0D"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Prohibiting failure to act on grounds of pendency of election</header><text>The court may not refuse to take any action described in clause (i) on the grounds of the pendency of the next election held in the State or the potential for disruption, confusion, or additional burdens with respect to the administration of the election in the State.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5FD20FA6EDDC40209C26E88F96B7F62B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>No stay pending appeal</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding the appeal of an order finding that a congressional redistricting plan of a State violates, in whole or in part, the requirements of this title, no stay shall issue which shall bar the development or adoption of a replacement or remedial plan under this subsection, as may be directed by the district court, pending such appeal. If such a replacement or remedial plan has been adopted, no appellate court may stay or otherwise enjoin the use of such plan during the pendency of an appeal, except upon an order holding, based on the record, that adoption of such plan was an abuse of discretion.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB0A3AA8B2C974B5D839AD0846537899A"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Special authority of Court of Appeals</header><subparagraph id="HB4411728BC694E55860580B4FFE30D91"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Ordering of new remedial plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, upon consideration of an appeal under this title, the Court of Appeals determines that a plan does not comply with the requirements of this title, it shall direct that the District Court promptly develop a new remedial plan with assistance of a special master for consideration by the Court of Appeals.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF4955E9E4ECD413E8AF7F66226F5332A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Failure of district court to take timely action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, at any point during the pendency of an action under this section, the District Court fails to take action necessary to permit resolution of the case prior to the next regularly scheduled election for the House of Representatives in the State or fails to grant the relief described in paragraph (1)(C), any party may seek a writ of mandamus from the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Court of Appeals shall have jurisdiction over the motion for a writ of mandamus and shall establish an expedited briefing and hearing schedule for resolution of the motion. If the Court of Appeals determines that a writ should be granted, the Court of Appeals shall take any action necessary, including developing a congressional redistricting plan with assistance of a special master to ensure that a remedial plan is adopted in time for use in the next regularly scheduled election for the House of Representatives in the State.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA99C3DD4354B436D8B453D3572C2CAF1"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Effect of enactment of replacement plan</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A State’s enactment of a redistricting plan which replaces a plan which is the subject of an action under this section shall not be construed to limit or otherwise affect the authority of the court to adjudicate or grant relief with respect to any claims or issues not addressed by the replacement plan, including claims that the plan which is the subject of the action was enacted, in whole or in part, with discriminatory intent, or claims to consider whether relief should be granted under section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10302">52 U.S.C. 10302(c)</external-xref>) based on the plan which is the subject of the action.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE112C412DAA9409797F623DFDB412476"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Attorney’s Fees</header><text>In a civil action under this section, the court may allow the prevailing party (other than the United States) reasonable attorney fees, including litigation expenses, and costs.</text></subsection><subsection id="H9F8FF95A5569496AB07F37755A1847BA"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Relation to Other Laws</header><paragraph id="HC110280D83B04240A9DE4A23152B367A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Rights and remedies additional to other rights and remedies</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The rights and remedies established by this section are in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by law, and neither the rights and remedies established by this section nor any other provision of this title shall supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H05415A33EF4642928F12CA5938A2074C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Voting Rights Act of 1965</header><text>Nothing in this title authorizes or requires conduct that is prohibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/10301">52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBB975713266D44A38C8D962F234999FD"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Legislative privilege</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No person, legislature, or State may claim legislative privilege under either State or Federal law in a civil action brought under this section or in any other legal challenge, under either State or Federal law, to a redistricting plan enacted under this title.</text></subsection><subsection id="H195615456B8642F2AC96B3E7ADDBD421"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Removal</header><paragraph id="H1EB0ADE981C94B0EBE9C797A7EC5E376"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>At any time, a civil action brought in a State court which asserts a claim for which the district courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction under this title may be removed by any party in the case, including an intervenor, by filing, in the district court for an applicable venue under this section, a notice of removal signed pursuant to Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure containing a short and plain statement of the grounds for removal. Consent of parties shall not be required for removal. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1AA8565E1D0E4CECB35E68DBB3FC0900"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Claims not within the original or supplemental jurisdiction</header><text>If a civil action removed in accordance with paragraph (1) contains claims not within the original or supplemental jurisdiction of the district court, the district court shall sever all such claims and remand them to the State court from which the action was removed.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HC33C01C35F1C4F758C9D05C534370809"><enum>307.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title and the amendments made by such title shall apply with respect to redistricting carried out pursuant to the decennial census conducted during 2030 or any succeeding decennial census.</text></section><enum>IV</enum><header>General Provisions</header><section id="H9BB80DF49EE44E05B3DB88FCD8F6DE63"><enum>401.</enum><header>No effect on elections for State and local office</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this Act or in any amendment made by this Act may be construed to affect the manner in which a State carries out elections for State or local office, including the process by which a State establishes the districts used in such elections.</text></section><section id="H5791BF920CC84CFE9ABB977728F829EA"><enum>402.</enum><header>Severability</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">If any provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act, or the application of a provision of this Act or an amendment made by this Act to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, and the application of the provisions to any person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the holding.</text></section>