                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN REDISTRICTING PROCESS; PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA (§
30-396)

A. All meetings and hearings held by the Commission shall be adequately
advertised and planned to ensure the public is able to attend and participate
fully. Meetings and hearings shall be advertised in multiple languages as
practicable and appropriate.

B. Prior to proposing any plan for districts for the United States House of
Representatives, the Senate, or the House of Delegates and prior to voting to
submit such plans to the General Assembly, the Commission shall hold at least
three public hearings in order to receive and consider comments from the public.
Public hearings may be held virtually and any public hearings that are held in
person shall be conducted in different parts of the Commonwealth.

C. The Commission shall establish and maintain a website or other equivalent
electronic platform. The website shall be available to the general public and
shall be used to disseminate information about the Commission&#8217;s
activities. The website shall be capable of receiving comments and proposals by
citizens of the Commonwealth. Prior to voting on any proposed plan, the
Commission shall publish the proposed plans on the website.

D. All data used by the Commission in the drawing of districts shall be
available to the public on its website. Such data, including census data,
precinct maps, election results, and shapefiles, shall be posted within three
days of receipt by the Commission.

E. The block equivalency files and shapefiles for the congressional, senate, and
House of Delegates districts established pursuant to this chapter and Article
II, &#xA7; 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia shall be maintained and available
to the public on the Commission&#8217;s website. Such block equivalency files
and shapefiles shall be controlling in any legal determination of the boundary
of a congressional, senate, or House of Delegates district.

HISTORY: 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 56; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1; 2023, c. 455.