The Virginia House and Senate on Tuesday approved separate plans to reconfigure the state’s congressional districts, but lawmakers likely won’t be back until April 25 to hash out the differences.
The Republican-controlled House approved a plan sponsored by Del. Bill Janis, R-Goochland, that would largely shore up the seats of the state’s 11 incumbent congressmen.
The Senate Privileges and Elections committee, though, signed off on a separate bill that would create a minority influence district in the southeastern part of the state, in addition to a separate majority-minority district.
That sets up a major legislative — and likely legal — battle once legislators return to sign off on a new map as part of the state’s once-a-decade redistricting process. Virginia is one of a handful of southern states that, because of past discrimination at the polls, must get approval for its redistricting plans from the Justice Department.
