The judicial apportion commission has release a revised map of boundaries for the Missouri Senate after questions were raised about the constutionality of the map.
Critics, like House Democrats Leader Mike Talboy (D-Kansas City) says the districts still don’t make as much sense as they could, but at least now there’s no problems of constitutionality. The Missouri Constitution says district lines shall not cross a county except when necessary to add people to a nearby district.
Talboy says he wants the commission to go back and look again at the House maps, because neighborhoods are also split in that design.
Senator Kevin Engler (R-Farmington) says he doesn’t think the best thing has been done for the people of Missouri. He is critical of towns being split apart such as Perryville, Farmington and Bon Terre.
Both lawmakers admit this new Senate map is not perfect, and both say the process by which they are drawn, which is in secret, needs to be reworked. Engler says he doesn’t think it will happen though because this issue won’t come up again for another ten years.
