Appeal on Legislative Redistricting Could Be Heard This Week

The battle over new state legislative districts may move to the Kentucky Supreme Court this week.At the direction of General Assembly leaders, the Legislative Research Commission this week will file an appeal to overturn an injunction against the district maps lawmakers approved last month. In it’s filing, the LRC will also argue that the new districts should be in effect for this year's elections.The case is expected to skip the Court of Appeals.“The state Supreme Court, if they make a finding that it is a matter of great public interest or concern, than there is a process under the civil rules for an expedited appeal," says House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover, who filed suit against the maps. "And they can take the case rather than going through the normal steps. They’ve done that in previous redistricting matters and I would expect they do it again.”Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd threw out the House and Senate maps early last week, saying they were unconstitutional because they exceeded precedent on population variances.Shepherd also ruled that legislative candidates will have to run in the current districts.