RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox is backing a plan to have a bipartisan commission appointed by lawmakers and the governor draw new legislative boundaries.
The Republican speaker has opposed plans for similar commissions in the past. But he said lengthy federal court challenges to the maps lawmakers drew in 2011 have prompted him to reconsider.
A panel of federal judges recently chose a new redistricting map for Virginia's House of Delegates that could shift some districts toward Democrats and help the party take control in this year's election.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of the case some time this year.
New maps for the House, state Senate and congressional districts are set to be drawn in 2021.
