An Act to codify a joint committee for legislative redistricting.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That chapter 2-2 be amended with a NEW SECTION:

There shall be appointed at the 2031 regular session of the Legislature and at regular sessions every ten years thereafter a Joint Committee for Legislative Redistricting consisting of fifteen members of the Legislature, with eight members from one house of the Legislature and seven members from the other, for the purpose of advising the Legislature on legislative reapportionment under S.D. Const., Art. III, § 5. The president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint all Senate members and the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint all House members. A member shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified, or until no longer a member of the Legislature, whichever occurs first. The house with a majority of members shall alternate with each ten-year redistricting cycle beginning in 2031, with the house in the minority of the 2011 Legislative Redistricting Committee being in the majority in 2031. The committee shall be co-chaired by one member of the House of Representatives and one member of the Senate, and shall be provided with staff assistance from the Legislative Research Council.

A committee recommendation on a redistricting map, whether partial or full, requires a two-thirds vote of the members present.