By Mary Jo Pitzl | The Republic | azcentral.com
A federal court has dismissed a claim by the Legislature’s GOP leaders that only they have the authority to draw congressional boundaries.
The decision, issued late Friday, means there will be no change to the configuration of Arizona’s nine congressional districts, at least for now.
A three-judge panel last month heard arguments in the case Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.
Led by Senate President Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, and House Speaker Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, the plaintiffs argued the U.S. Constitution gives the elected Legislature the exclusive power to draw congressional districts. Proposition 106, the citizens’ initiative in 2000 that created the independent commission, could not take that authority away from the lawmakers, they aruged.
