AI-assisted research summary: The legislative services agency must gather census-related information, prepare redistricting materials and plans, and publish plan information to the public; spending on equipment or materials needs prior approval from the legislative council.
1. The legislative services agency shall acquire appropriate information, review and evaluate available facilities, and develop programs and procedures in preparation for drawing congressional and legislative redistricting plans on the basis of each federal census. Funds shall be expended for the purchase or lease of equipment and materials only with prior approval of the legislative council. 2. By December 31 of each year ending in zero, the legislative services agency shall obtain from the United States bureau of the census information regarding geographic and political units in this state for which federal census population data has been gathered and will be tabulated. The legislative services agency shall use the data so obtained to: a. Prepare necessary descriptions of geographic and political units for which census data will be reported, and which are suitable for use as components of legislative districts. b. Prepare maps of counties, cities and other geographic units within the state, which may be used to illustrate the locations of legislative district boundaries proposed in plans drawn in accordance with section 42.4. 3. As soon as possible after January 1 of each year ending in one, the legislative services agency shall obtain from the United States bureau of the census the population data needed for legislative districting which the census bureau is required to provide this state under United States Pub. L. No. 94-171, and shall use that data to assign a population figure based upon certified federal census data to each geographic or political unit described pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph “a”. Upon completing that task, the legislative services agency shall begin the preparation of congressional and legislative districting plans as required by section 42.3. 4. Upon each delivery by the legislative services agency to the general assembly of a bill embodying a plan, pursuant to section 42.3, the legislative services agency shall at the earliest feasible time make available to the public the following information: a. Copies of the bill delivered by the legislative services agency to the general assembly. b. Maps illustrating the plan. c. A summary of the standards prescribed by section 42.4 for development of the plan. d. A statement of the population of each district included in the plan, and the relative deviation of each district population from the ideal district population. [C81, §42.2] 2003 Acts, ch 35, §44, 49; 2006 Acts, ch 1010, §33; 2007 Acts, ch 78, §1