Tennessee governor calls for state lawmakers to convene special session next week for redistricting

Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee announced plans Friday to convene a special session of the state General Assembly next week that would focus on the state’s congressional map after a recent Supreme Court ruling on redistricting.The United States Supreme Court struck down Louisiana maps Wednesday that added a second majority black district, ruling that the maps were unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.
Lee said the new legislative session will formally review the state’s congressional map and stated that any changes to the map must be enacted as soon as possible to ensure Tennesseans have “reflective representation.”
“We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters,” Lee said. “After consultation with the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, I believe the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure it remains fair, legal, and defensible.”
Other states are also considering reviewing their congressional maps, including South Carolina and Mississippi. Florida and Virginia have already taken action to redraw their congressional maps.
The governor said the Tennessee special session will take place on Tuesday, May 5.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage. 

Read Full Article: https://justthenews.com/nation/states/tennessee-governor-calls-state-lawmakers-convene-special-session-next-week?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators