PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2020
Salt Lake City, UT – Today, S.B. 200, Redistricting Amendments, passed the House with only four nay votes. Lauren Simpson, policy director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“We always appreciate bipartisan collaboration on the Hill, and we are grateful for the efforts of Better Boundaries and the lawmakers who worked tirelessly to come to an agreement. That being said, we must still acknowledge that this bill removes accountability and transparency from the redistricting process for the Legislature. This will make it easier for lawmakers to avoid facing the public about the new maps they create for all of Utah.
“This bill preserves the independent redistricting commission from Prop 4 and requires standards for its maps, which is good news. But it also makes it harder for the people of Utah to hold the Legislature accountable during and after the mapmaking process. This compromise is a walk-back of what Utah voters passed into law.”
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Alliance for a Better Utah is a nonprofit that holds politicians accountable and advocates for progressive policies that make Utah an even better place. The organization improves the lives of all Utahns through advocacy, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.