Redistricting commission sues Michigan Legislature for $3.2M
Beth LeBlanc
The Detroit News
December 13, 2022
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Legislature for failing to fund the commission for nearly three months.
The Monday suit, which seeks a $3.17 million budget for the 13-member commission, argues the state's failure to fund the commission since the start of the new fiscal year Oct. 1 is in "direct contravention" of the state constitution, which requires the Legislature to give the commission enough money for it "to carry out its functions, operations and activities."
Though the redistricting commission's duties largely concluded a year ago with the adoption of new district maps, the panel continues to meet roughly once a month and has ongoing expenses related to the legal defense of the new maps against two federal challenges.
"The Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate have violated this constitutional mandate by failing to appropriate funds sufficient to enable the commission to carry out its functions, operations and activities for fiscal year 2023," the lawsuit said.
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This is one of the many reasons that the MIGQP-led legislature had to go.