By Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — Spotlight PA is reporting…. A state Senate panel voted Tuesday to advance a new congressional map as a top Republican expressed hope that his party and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf could still reach a compromise with a court deadline looming.
Nonpartisan analysts say the map, first proposed by House Republicans, has a clear GOP advantage. While stopping short of vowing a veto, Gov. Tom Wolf has previously expressed concern regarding the map’s partisan bias.
Wolf and lawmakers are facing two major deadlines. The state’s top election official has said her department needs a final map no later than Jan. 24 to meet the first of several spring primary deadlines. And Commonwealth Court has given those in charge of drawing the map until Jan. 30 to do so before it takes over the process.
The chairs of the Senate State Government Committee — David Argall (R., Schuylkill) and Sharif Street (D., Philadelphia) — had previously vowed to release their own proposed map, and Argall on Tuesday still appeared to be focused on getting Wolf something he would sign.
“Bipartisan negotiations have been ongoing with Sen. Street and others in the hope that we can reach a compromise that can be agreed to by a majority of all four caucuses, signed by the governor, and approved by the courts, which has been our shared goals since this process began,” Argall said.
Street said he would not vote for the map in its current form but appreciated “the spirit in which we’re moving forward.”
But with the clock ticking, it has become increasingly likely the final map will be determined by the state courts.
In recent days, Commonwealth Court said it would allow Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers from both major parties to intervene in an ongoing lawsuit over the congressional map. It will allow those lawmakers, as well as court-approved citizens and good-government groups, to submit their own proposed maps.
