The House of Delegates voted along party lines Monday to pass a bill scheduling a voter referendum on the proposed redistricting constitutional amendment.
The bill also would repeal an old part of state code that requires clerks of circuit courts to post proposed constitutional amendments on courthouse doors 90 days before the next House election. That did not happen the initial time Democrats in the General Assembly passed an amendment that would allow the legislature to redraw congressional maps mid-decade; they passed the resolution for the first time just days before the November 2025 election. Constitutional amendments must be passed twice with an election in between.
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The bill, carried by Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, specifies that the repeal is retroactively effective beginning July 1, 1971. Republicans filed a lawsuit when the constitutional amendment was initially introduced, and the initial complaint cites the courthouse door provision. Though a judge denied the initial request to halt the passage of the resolution, that litigation is ongoing.
“Marty McFly, Mr. Speaker, would be proud,” Del. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, said on the House floor Monday. Garrett suggested Democrats had invented a time machine that could be used to amend the outcome of the 1991 Super Bowl.
“What if the (Buffalo) Bills had Virginia Democrats’ support?” he said. “I can hear the language now: Not withstanding any NFL rules to the contrary, the goalposts for the final Bills drive shall be retroactively moved 5 yards to the right.”
The bill also would permit all potential lawsuits against the redistricting amendment to be filed only in Richmond City Circuit Court. The existing lawsuit is currently in the Tazewell County Circuit Court.
The legislation must pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The bill schedules a public vote on the redistricting constitutional amendment for April 21. Democrats say a potential new map will be public this week.
Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com
