"Tazewell circuit court judge Jack Hurley Jr struck down the legislature's actions on three grounds, including finding that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session. His order also said Democrats failed to approve the amendment before the public began voting in last year's general election and did not to publish the amendment three months before the election, as required by law."
"As a result, he said, the amendment was invalid and void. Don Scott, the Virginia house speaker , who was listed in Republicans' lawsuit over the resolution, said Democrats would appeal the ruling. Nothing that happened today will dissuade us from continuing to move forward and put this matter directly to the voters, Scott said in a joint statement with other state Democratic leaders."
A Virginia court invalidated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Democrats to redraw the state's congressional maps, undermining Democratic hopes to gain U.S. House seats in November. The judge found lawmakers violated procedural rules adding the amendment to a special session, failed to approve it before public voting began, and did not publish it three months before the election as required, rendering the amendment void. Democratic leaders pledged to appeal. Supporters accused Republicans of forum-shopping. The ruling occurs amid nationwide mid-decade redistricting battles after Republican-led efforts produced gains in several states.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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