2002 -- H 7056 AS AMENDED ======= LC01814 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2002 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO REDISTRICTING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY Introduced By: Representatives Aiken, San Bento, Fleury, and Rabideau Date Introduced: January 29, 2002 Referred To: House Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Sections 22-1-1 and 22-1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-1 entitled 2 "Composition of Senate" are hereby repealed. 3 22-1-1. Composition of senate. -- Commencing on the first Tuesday in January 1993, the 4 senate shall consist of the lieutenant governor and fifty (50) senators, one (1) senator being 5 elected from each of the senatorial districts into which the state is divided in section 22-1-2. 6 22-1-2. Districts. -- The state is hereby divided into fifty (50) senatorial districts each of 7 which shall be comprised of the United States census tracts and blocks as hereinafter set forth and 8 each of which shall appear as depicted and bounded on the maps compiled from United States 9 Census Bureau information which are attached hereto and which are hereby made a part of this 10 chapter. 11 Thirty nine (39) of such maps are denominated "TIGER * Plot, compiled by Election 12 Data Services, Inc." for each city and town, and hereinafter may be referred to as TIGER map. 13 Six (6) of such maps, are denominated "Final House Plan-E" or "Final House Plan" for 14 house districts, and five (5) of such maps are denominated "Final Senate Plan-E" or "Final Senate 15 Plan" for senate districts. One map is for congressional districts. 16 The secretary of state shall keep a copy of each set of the foregoing maps available for 17 inspection during ordinary business hours at his/her office. The secretary of state shall furnish 18 each city and town a copy of the TIGER map covering that particular city or town within ten days 19 of [May 22, 1992_. 1 For purposes of this title, references to "tract" or "CT" shall mean "census tract", as that 2 demographic unit is established by the United States Bureau of the Census for the 1990 census as 3 described by maps and publications of the bureau. References to "Block", "Blocks", "Block 4 Groups", "Enumeration District", or "Enumeration Districts", refer to those demographic units as 5 established by the United States Census Bureau for the 1990 census as described by maps and 6 publications of the bureau. 7 Any reference to a "city", "city boundaries", or "city limits" shall refer to the boundaries 8 or limits of the particular city as they existed on January 1, 1990. 9 The first three (3) digits of a census description refer to the county in which the district 10 lies. Bristol county carries the code 001; Kent county carries the code 003; Newport county 11 carries the code 005; Providence county carries the code 007 and Washington county carries the 12 code 009. The next four (4) digits refer to the census tract within the city set forth in the 13 description. The last three (3) digits refer to the census block within the census tract. The letters 14 "MCD" preceding a municipality mean "minor civil division". "TIGER" is an acronym for the 15 computer readable geographic data base that automates the mapping and related geographic 16 activities required to support the United States' Census Bureau's Census and survey programs and 17 stands for "Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing". 18 If any census tract, block, block group, or enumeration district is omitted, listed more 19 than once, or is only partially provided for, it is intended that the districts be defined in such a 20 manner as to not omit any area of Rhode Island from a district and to comply with the standard of 21 Articles VII and VIII of the Rhode Island Constitution requiring that districts be reasonably 22 equal. In order to carry out the intent of the general assembly as expressed in this section the 23 secretary of state, shall if necessary, undertake measures to insure compliance with this section. 24 For the purpose of this section, whenever a line is described as running on, along, to or through 25 any street (including road, avenue, lane, way, parkway, expressway, divided highway, state route 26 or interstate route, or trail), stream or river, it is intended to mean the center line of such street, 27 stream or river, in all instances, unless the same shall be otherwise specified. 28 In the event of a discrepancy between the description of census tracts and blocks and the 29 maps, then the maps shall take precedence and be controlling. 30 22-1-2. Districts. -- =hd10 Reader Please Take Note: 31 (Due to the size of this section, it is not printed in this publication. Instead, the text of 32 this section may be found in a separate, soft-bound companion volume to Volume 4A, entitled 33 "Volume 4A, Reapportionment Legislation." The text of |22-2-2 may also be found in that 34 volume.) 2 1 SECTION 2. Chapter 22-1 of the General Laws entitled "Composition of Senate" is 2 hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections: 3 22-1-1. Composition of senate. – Commencing on the first Tuesday in January, 2003, 4 the senate shall consist of thirty-eight (38) senators, one (1) senator being elected from each of 5 the senatorial districts into which the state is herein below divided. 6 22-1-2. Districts. – The state is hereby divided into thirty-eight (38) senatorial districts 7 bounded and described as follows: 8 (1) it is understood and intended that for the purpose of this section a line described as 9 running on, along, to or through any street (including road, avenue, lane, way, parkway, 10 expressway, divided highway, state route or interstate route, or trail), stream or river, is intended 11 to mean the center line of such street, stream or river, in all instances, unless the same shall be 12 otherwise specified: 13 (2) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts 14 described herein shall be composed of United States census geography (tracts and blocks), as 15 defined by the 2000 version of the "TIGER" files from the United States Census Bureau, whose 16 boundaries correspond to the below metes and bounds set forth herein and which are hereby made 17 a part of this chapter. A listing of which census blocks are contained within each district shall be 18 deemed to be incorporated by reference. 19 (3) It is further understood and intended that for the purpose of this section, the districts 20 will be depicted on thirty-nine (39) maps, compiled by Election Data Services, Inc. for each city 21 and town, and hereinafter may be referred to as town maps. 22 The secretary of state shall keep a copy of each set of the foregoing maps and a copy of 23 the census tract and block listing available for inspection during ordinary business hours at his/her 24 office. The secretary of state shall furnish each city and town a copy of the town map covering 25 that particular city or town within ten (10) days from the passage of this act. 26 For purposes of this title, references to "tract" or "CT" shall mean "census tract", as that 27 demographic unit is established by the United States Bureau of the Census for the 2000 census as 28 described by maps and publications of the bureau. References to "block", "blocks", "block 29 groups", "enumeration district", or "enumeration districts", refer to those demographic units as 30 established by the United States Census Bureau for the 2000 census as described by maps and 31 publications of the bureau. 32 Any reference to a "city or town", "city or town boundaries", or "city or town limits" 33 shall refer to the boundaries or limits of the particular city or town as they existed on January 1, 34 2000. 3 1 In the census tract and block listing, the first two (2) digits of a census description shall 2 refer to the state of Rhode Island (44), the next three (3) digits of a census description shall refer 3 to the county in which the district lies. Bristol county carries the code 001; Kent county carries 4 the code 003; Newport county carries the code 005; Providence county carries the code 007 and 5 Washington county carries the code 009. The next six (6) digits refer to the census tract within the 6 county set forth in the description. The last four (4) digits refer to the census block within the 7 census tract. "TIGER" is an acronym for the computer readable geographic data base that 8 automates the mapping and related geographic activities required to support the United States' 9 Census Bureau's census and survey programs and stands for "Topologically Integrated 10 Geographic Encoding and Referencing." 11 If any census tract, block, block group, or enumeration district is omitted, listed more 12 than once, or is only partially provided for, it is intended that the districts be defined in such a 13 manner as to not omit any area of Rhode Island from a district and to comply with the standard of 14 Articles VII and VIII of the Rhode Island Constitution requiring that districts be reasonably 15 equal. In order to carry out the intent of the general assembly as expressed in this section the 16 secretary of state, shall if necessary, undertake measures to insure compliance with this section.