00:00Okay. That's all connected to previous hearing items. This AB 604 is actually to implement
00:17how the election will take place. So let me ask the following questions to the author.
00:28What was the legislature's process for drawing maps? Can you explain?
00:35We're in the process right now of drawing the maps. So we have examples that are out there right now,
00:44and we just got the information out to everyone yesterday, and so we have 74 days to follow up.
00:50I understand that these amendments that we voted on on the floor yesterday, I dare to try to understand this.
01:06I took them, but these are all thousands of thousands of precincts and numbers.
01:14Which one will be drawn into certain precincts will be drawn into the map?
01:21With this kind of information, I cannot understand who decided all these precincts will be in there.
01:31Was there any legislators involved? So if you can specify who exactly was involved making the amendments
01:42for this current district maps to the amended bills that we have voted on yesterday?
01:54Yes, we will certainly turn it over to our witnesses, but these maps, just to be clear,
02:00has been reiterated by the former author and the other authors, is that these maps are available online.
02:07So even though there's 235 pages of census tracts and precincts,
02:12these maps have been available both on the Assembly website as well as the Senate website will be available.
02:19There will be a link in the sample ballot once folks are able in California to vote on this
02:24and have more information on what their exact neighborhood looks like.
02:28But I will also kick it to our witnesses to talk about how the maps were developed
02:35and obviously respecting what we do here in California is we respect the Voting Rights Act.
02:40And we also, I will say, has been mentioned by one of our witnesses,
02:45the maps are really an adjustment of the existing Citizens Redistricting Commission drawn maps.
02:50About 10 of them are not touched at all. Another 12 have less than 5% change.
02:55About 80% of people in California will actually have their same congressional district.
03:01The maps change 58% of districts by less than 20% and 37% by less than 10%.
03:11So I wanted to give that data to you. This is not a dramatic overhaul.
03:16These are, you know, a bit of changes, but very much respecting the good work of the redistricting committee.
03:23With that, I will kick it to our witnesses for additional comments.
03:27And before I turn to our witnesses, I do want to state that there is a legal description of the maps on our committee website.
03:39But I will turn to Mr. Willis.
03:41Sure.
03:45Yeah, these obviously are a long set of census blocks.
03:50But those do end up being in interactive maps that anyone in the public can review and look up their address and see where they are.
04:01And that will be, again, public information that I'm sure will be discussed widely throughout the state for the next 78, 74 days.
04:11So while AB 604 is a long list of census blocks, both that raw information is available, but also the maps themselves, which are so important to the public, are available.
04:26Okay, then with that, do you agree that we have not had as many hearings as were held by the Citizen District Commission?
04:38Well, I would say that the Citizens Redistricting Commission, as I understand it, their final map is only shown, I mean, obviously we are supportive of the CRC and the Redistricting Commission and what they did historically.
04:53But ultimately, their final map is only publicly available for 14 days.
04:59And this map will be publicly available for 74 days.
05:02So again, this is a map that the voters will be asked to review and approve.
05:08Not the legislature, not the CRC, it's the voters that will have the right to look at this map and decide for themselves.
05:18But you do agree that we have not followed the same requirements in drawing the lines as the Redistricting Commission was required under the California Constitution.
05:32In other words, we had lots of inputs from the public before the line was proposed.
05:38But this one is already drawn with very limited data.
05:43Well, again, voters will have a long period of time to review those very, very carefully and determine how important that is to them.
05:52The election process is not adjusting the district.
05:56Either you vote, either give the blessing or not.
06:00That's about what the voters will have a choice.
06:03I'm talking about the process, how this proposed map was presented.
06:08Well, I think some of the I think some of the speakers have already spoken to that issue,
06:13which is that the map that you are seeing today is in large part based on the good work from the congressional redistricting.
06:21I mean, from the redistricting commission itself.
06:25And if I I don't have the exact figure, but I think it's about 75, 76 percent of the population has not been moved to different districts.
06:36So in other words, the the bones and the architecture of what the commission itself did is really the fundamental basis for this map.
06:46So that really leads to the next question.
06:49California's population has significantly changed, even though you are stating that not much that says here since the 2020 census.
07:00What is the demographic data on which the legislature this particular map proposal was relying to draw the final maps that you have placed on the web?
07:16The same data as the redistricting commission.
07:20Redistricting, you know, the 2020 data.
07:23Right. But that's what Texas is doing, too.
07:26Everyone has to rely on the on the 2020 census.
07:29So you did not use any more modified population shift toward voter registration?
07:37For no.
07:38It's the exact same data as the redistricting commission.
07:41I see.
07:42Then.
07:43Who were the main architect of this bill who who got the in and engaged in the in this proposal?
08:01Well, I can't speak for everyone.
08:04My understanding is that it was publicly submitted and then the legislature reviewed it carefully and made sure it was legally compliant.
08:13And that's what we have today.
08:15Was there any outside of the legislature?
08:18Did you consult for input on this lines should be drawn?
08:23Well, like I said, I think a version of this map was publicly submitted to the legislature first.
08:29So to that extent, yes, there was outside.
08:32Yes.
08:33Were they?
08:34I can't speak to that.
08:36Why not?
08:37I wasn't part of that process.
08:39Does anybody know that?
08:41Was there also a lot of union members available a while ago testified in support of that?
08:48Or were the union representatives play any role in destroying lines?
08:54Again, I.
08:55I'm happy to answer that.
08:58There was nobody from my union or anybody else who drafted the lines here or presented them to the legislature.
09:05Okay.
09:06Did you hold any public hearings to allow broad public input before the line was drawn?
09:19Again, with respect, Senator Choi, you know, this is 80, nearly 80% of these maps are based on the 2020 data from the redistricting committee.
09:30So that has been absolutely respected and so, you know, there's no other additional sort of work being done.
09:38This is 80% here from the citizens redistricting committee.
09:43Again, I'm going to reiterate to you the map change about 50% of districts by less than 20%, 37% by less than 10%.
09:53Eight districts will be identical to the lines drawn by the citizens redistricting commission.
09:5921 districts are exactly the ideal district size, the same number as the citizens redistricting commission.
10:05So I would say a lot of the effort had already been done in 2020.
10:09We're aligning with the Texas legislature doing the same exact thing.
10:12This is a reaction to essentially what we've been saying is a big statement of saving our democracy here.
10:19So we, you know, we just want to make sure that you're very clear here that this is, again, going to be aligned with the work of the commission and going to be in print for 75, 78 days.
10:34Residents will have the ability to look at the information when they're voting.
10:40There will be a link in the sample ballot.
10:42There's currently two on the assembly and the Senate side, two platforms that voters now can take a look at and check out the map.
10:50So there's lots of opportunity.
10:52And as mentioned by Mr. Willis, even more time, I would say seven times a more time for the ability for California voters to look at the maps.
11:00So as we said before, is that these maps were constructed considering the all of the work done by the Citizens Commission,
11:07all of the public testimony, all of the requirements in the Constitution based on the 2020 census.
11:13If I may ask other committee members.
11:16Yeah.
11:17Yeah.
11:18I have given an opportunity.
11:19A couple of them.
11:20Let me finish up on my side.
11:21As you know, the redistricting committee is a bipartisan effort.
11:24Yeah.
11:25Republican, Democratic, no party preference members who sit on the commission as well.
11:29Obviously, the final map was proposed in the architect of the majority ruling party.
11:40Before the legislators were revealed yesterday, what amendments, what the lines were drawn,
11:47who else has seen this agreeable on your side that the map has seen?
11:52Who has seen those maps before it was presented to the legislature?
11:59I haven't seen them.
12:00Again, this was put on, put forward by, you know, by the, based on the redistricting commission, and again, put out to the public.
12:11And so the, each of the chairs of the election committee.
12:14So are you saying the redistricting commission was involved in this?
12:17If I, if I may, Dr. Troy.
12:19So we are respecting the work of the CRC.
12:22And so we are building upon the commission's work, as was stated by Mr. Willis, using the input that has been recorded by them,
12:31using their process, including information about communities of interest, have gone through much of the testimony.
12:39Over 76% of the maps, the people end up in the same district, as was mentioned by the author.
12:48Yeah, my essence of the question was that the finalized agreed upon map.
12:54That will be to the voters approval.
12:57Who has seen before we did?
12:59Legislators have seen yesterday.
13:01Yesterday at 8 a.m.
13:02Yes, we've all seen it at the same time.
13:04And this was put on, online, again, on the public platforms, both in the Assembly and the Senate.
13:10And again, I will reiterate, you know, California voters will have 75 days or so to be able to review these maps.
13:17It's a very transparent process, opposed to our Texas, you know, colleagues.
13:21And during the lines, were there any non-government employees getting involved?
13:26Absolutely not.
13:27I don't know why you would infer that.
13:29That's not true.
13:30I'm just asking the question.
13:34So nobody else outside of the government employees?
13:37This is going to be a very public process, a transparent process here in California that respects Voting Rights Act
13:43and ensures that people have all the information they need.
13:46The California voter makes the final decision at the ballot box.
13:50When did you see this map first, yourself?
13:54Yesterday?
13:55Yes, correct.
13:57So we are putting this forward to the voter once again.
14:03And we will...
14:04Yeah, I want to ask you, who were the main architects?
14:08Dr. Char, you've asked the same question over and over.
14:10If we can move to other committees.
14:11Yes.
14:12Dr. Char, you're asking the next question over and over.
14:13If we can move to other committees.
14:14Yes.
14:15Dr. Char, you're asking the question over and over.
14:16If we can move to other committees.
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