Legislators returned to Frankfort on Tuesday to begin the 2022 Regular Session and immediately acted on redistricting measures. Another House bill would extend the candidate filing deadline to January 25, which would allow more time to file candidacy paperwork.
House Republican leadership released their redistricting maps on December 30. Speaker David Osborne (R-Prospect) called the effort “difficult” partly because of the state’s dramatic population shift. Kentucky cities continued over the past decade to grow more quickly than unincorporated areas of the commonwealth.
Click here to see the proposed House redistricting map.
Senate State and Local Government Committee Chair Robby Mills (R-Henderson) introduced Senate Bill 2, the Senate redistricting legislation. “I am happy to be back in Frankfort to work on behalf of residents of the commonwealth,” Mills said. “Ensuring equal representation among the state’s population is a great responsibility entrusted to the legislative branch. We have worked hard to ensure these maps meet the requirements outlined by federal law and the constitutions of the United States and Kentucky.”
Today’s Senate map divides some constituents in District 32, currently represented by Senator Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green), among Districts 9, 16, or 32. The Senate plan also moves District 6, currently represented by Senator C.B. Embry Jr. (R-Morgantown). District 7, represented by Senator Adrienne Southworth (R-Frankfort), also shifts along with District 26. Senator Karen Berg (D-Louisville) currently represents that district.
The Senate also released the proposed redistricting map for Kentucky’s U.S. Congressional Districts.
Both plans will go before their respective committees on Wednesday. The Senate State and Local Government Committee meets at 11 a.m. EST, and the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee convenes at noon.
The General Assembly’s 60-day session is scheduled to conclude April 14. The typical budget-year cycle will include a 10-day veto recess from March 31 through April 12 to allow the governor to act on adopted bills.
See the full session calendar here.
