Pa. Supreme Court Accepts Newest Reapportionment Map
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected the latest attempt to block a new map of state House and Senate districts.
The state's high court threw out the first redistricting map drawn up by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, a five-member panel made up of top legislative leaders and a retired judge. In fact, the 2012 elections for those state House and Senate seats were held under the map drawn up after the 2000 census.
But the same court has now unanimously upheld the new map drawn up by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission.
In its opinion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court says there is no constitutional prohibition against considering "political factors" in reapportionment.
The court concludes that opponents have not proven that new plan unnecessarily divides political subdivisions, and says the new plan represents an improvement in that regard.
