SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Newsom announced the signing of Senate Bill 977 introduced by State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), which will establish an independent districting commission for the County of San Luis Obispo. Senate Bill 977 is coauthored by Assembly Member Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) and was sponsored by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. It was a priority bill for the Central Coast Caucus.
“Fair impartial voting districts established independently are a crucial aspect of our democracy,” said Senator Laird. “With Governor Newsom’s signature of Senate Bill 977, the voters of San Luis Obispo can have confidence in the integrity of their elections. I am proud to have worked on this legislation with the County of San Luis Obispo to create this commission.”
Senate Bill 977 establishes an eleven person Citizens Redistricting Commission. The Commission will be tasked with establishing future supervisorial districts every ten years. A redistricting commission ensures that through a more transparent and neutral process, future supervisorial lines can be drawn in a way that is less likely to be met with legal challenges and will afford the public true access and input into this critical process.
“As a resident of San Luis Obispo, I am a proud co-author of Senate Bill 977. I am grateful and honored to have worked with Senator John Laird to get this legislation across the line, and thankful to Governor Newsom for signing it. The people of our county deserve fairness and transparency in our redistricting process. SB 977 allows us to have the independent redistricting commission we need,” said Assembly Member Addis.
The Commission’s structure is reflective of local stakeholder engagement and input gathered by county staff. The Commission will be comprised of county residents who are not elected officials, lobbyists, candidates, campaign donors, or their close family members. The members will be selected through an application and selection process, where they would be subject to the criteria and qualifications outlined in the ordinance after an extensive outreach campaign. Senate Bill 977 is created in alignment with the state’s seven existing redistricting commissions, but has been adjusted to address concerns related to the County’s small population.
“The Governor’s signature is the culmination of all the hard work of Sen. Laird, supported by Assembly Member Addis and so many SLO County residents, to protect our local democracy,” said San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson. “I’m deeply grateful for this result and excited that this independent commission will properly transfer the power to draw district boundaries from elected officials to the local voters they are sworn to serve.”
Senate Bill 977 will go into effect January 1, 2025.
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Senator John Laird represents the 17th State Senate District, encompassing the entirety of Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties, along with portions of Santa Clara and Monterey counties. With a distinguished career in public service spanning four decades, Senator Laird has served as Secretary of the CA Natural Resources Agency, as an Assemblymember, and proudly holds the distinction of being one of the first openly gay mayors in the United States. More information on Senator Laird can be found here.