John Tanner and Jim Cooper Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act

Every ten years after the census, states redraw their Congressional district maps — and right now, politicians often draw those lines to protect their own seats. This bill would take that power away from state legislatures and hand it to independent redistricting commissions made up of ordinary registered voters who haven't held office or worked for a political party in the last four years. The commissions would be required to draw compact, contiguous districts that keep counties and neighborhoods together, and they'd be explicitly banned from considering voting history, party affiliation, or where current members of Congress live. All commission meetings would be open to the public, and states would have to set up websites where anyone can view data, propose their own maps, and submit comments. If a commission's plan isn't enacted, the state's highest court — and ultimately a federal court — would step in to finalize the map. States would also be limited to one redistricting per census cycle unless a court orders otherwise, and each state would receive $150,000 per Congressional district to fund the process. The changes would take effect after the 2030 census, affecting every voter in states with more than one House seat.