Senate leaders announced more details of the process the Oklahoma Senate Select Committee on Redistricting will use as the Senate prepares for redistricting next year upon receipt of data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

 “Redistricting will be one of the most important issues considered by the Legislature next year,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Sen. Lonnie Paxton, chair of the Redistricting Committee, said the Senate redistricting process will include:

• Public hearings at locations across the state with the opportunity for the public to offer comments at the hearings;
• The public submission of proposed maps of state legislative and congressional districts; and
• Public notice given before action taken by the committee.

If needed, Paxton said the Senate will accommodate social distancing necessary due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the Senate will also make its resources available to local officials if they so choose to help them draw county commission districts, city council districts, and local school board districts.

“The Senate is committed to transparency in the redistricting process and holding public hearings and accepting maps from the public will help us achieve that goal,” Paxton said.

More details will be announced later this year, Paxton said.

“Census data from the federal government will be used to draw the new district lines,” Treat said. “The best thing the public can do right now for redistricting is complete the Census.”