Resolution Reaffirming the Right of State Legislatures to Determine Electoral Districts
| Model Bill Info | |
|---|---|
| Bill Title | Resolution Reaffirming the Right of State Legislatures to Determine Electoral Districts |
| Date Introduced | August 10, 2018 |
| Date Finalized | September 18, 2018 |
| Type | Model Resolution |
| Status | Final |
| Task Forces | Federalism and International Relations |
Resolution Reaffirming the Right of State Legislatures to Determine Electoral Districts
Model Policy
WHEREAS, in chapter XI of the Second Treatise Locke wrote; “The first and fundamental positive law of all commonwealths, is the establishing of the legislative power;” and continued;
“Nor can any edict of any body else, in what form soever conceived, or by what power soever backed, have the force and obligation of a law.” and
WHEREAS, according to Article IV Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence”; and
WHEREAS, Article I Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states; “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any time make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of chusing Senators;” and
WHEREAS, the intervention of state supreme courts to redistrict congressional district maps violate the fundamental right of the residents of a state to republican self-government; and
WHEREAS, state supreme courts unlawfully enacting judicial amendments or legislative or congressional district maps in the guise of law strips state legislators of the power to draw congressional district state lines.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that [Insert State] hereby claims sovereignty under the Article IV Section 4; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall serve notice to state supreme courts of our demand to abide by the system explicitly written in the Constitution of the United States.
