For Immediate Release: October 7, 2023

Media Contact: Michelle.Sherwood@sen.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Angelique V. Ashby (D-Sacramento) released the following statement after her bill, SB 314 was signed by Governor Newsom.  Senate Bill 314 will create an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw County Supervisor districts in Sacramento County starting with the 2030 round of redistricting.

“It is time for Sacramento County to join the ranks of government entities who are not drawing their own lines,” said Senator Ashby. “SB 314 is about good governance. Thank you Governor Newsom for your signature—SB 314 will give Sacramento County residents the opportunity to participate in the process, ensuring the district lines are representative of the people who live there.” 

In 2021, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors drew their own district lines. They held hearings and took public comment, but ultimately made the final decision themselves as to what their areas of representation would be. Conversely, the City of Sacramento used an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw its City Council lines.

The County process left several organized groups feeling unheard. For example, one vocal constituency that repeatedly pled to remain whole was the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Ultimately, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to adopt a supervisorial district map that fractured the AAPI communities of South Sacramento County, splitting them between supervisorial districts.

It is preferable for the public to have greater transparency in their redistricting process. An Independent Redistricting Commission will help achieve that goal.

SB 314 requires that, after completion of the 2030 Census, Sacramento County elections officials constitute a commission to draw county supervisorial districts. This commission would be reconstituted after every census to draw the County’s supervisorial districts in subsequent redistricting cycles. SB 314 will also set out eligibility criteria and restrictions for members of the commission that mirror the criteria used by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, which takes demographics and employment history into consideration, and bars lobbyists and individuals who have been candidates for or who have held public office within the preceding ten years.

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About Senator Angelique V. Ashby

Senator Angelique V. Ashby represents Sacramento County. She is the first woman elected to represent the metropolitan area of Sacramento in the State Senate in more than 20 years. She was elected to the Sacramento City Council in 2010. She was the sole woman for more than half of her 12 year tenure and the only member in city history to serve as Vice Mayor or Mayor pro Tem for 8 years. She is a graduate of McGeorge School of Law, and earned her baccalaureate at the University of California at Davis. She and her husband Zac have three children and live in the City of Sacramento.

For more information, visit Senator Ashby’s Website here or find her on Twitter at @SenatorAshby