CASE SUMMARY
On April 25, 2022, Kansas's Attorney General filed a petition with the Kansas Supreme Court to determine the validity of the state's enacted state legislative redistricting plans pursuant to the mandatory review process under Article 10, Section 1(b) of the Kansas Constitution. The Attorney General filed the enacted maps and a memorandum in support of their legality with his petition and is asking the Court for a judicial declaration that the maps are valid. The Kansas Constitution requires the Court to render its judgment within 30 days of the petition's filing, so no later than May 25, 2022.
On May 18, the Kansas Supreme Court issued an order holding the legislative plans constitutional and released its full opinion on June 21. First, the Court explained the Legislature complied with all relevant procedural provisions when enacting the legislative plans, thereby making them procedurally valid. Second, the Court explained the Legislature's enacted plans were substantively valid because they complied with the one person, one vote requirements, did not invidiously discriminate against citizens based on race or any other protected class, did not excessively pair incumbents, and complied with the federal Voting Rights Act.
CASE LIBRARY
Kansas Supreme Court - No. 125083
- Petition to Determine the Validity of Substitute for Senate Bill 563 Provisions Reapportioning State Legislative Districts - 4/25/22
- Memorandum in Support of Petition to Determine the Validity of Substitute for Senate Bill 563 Provisions Reapportioning State Legislative Districts - 4/25/22
- Scheduling Order - 4/25/22
- Clarifying Order - 4/26/22
- Motion to Intervene - 4/29/22
- Order - 5/4/22
- Brief of Senator Thomas Holland in Support of Request to Find Senate Districts 3 and 9 Invalid - 5/4/22
- Brief of Petitioner in Response to Brief of Intervenor Senator Thomas Holland - 5/10/22
- Petitioner's Response to Statements of Interested Persons - 5/12/22
- Order - 5/18/22
- Opinion - 6/21/22