By Rich Bockmann
A federal judge in Brooklyn was appointed Monday to redraw the boundaries for New York state’s 27 congressional districts.
Judge Roanne Mann has until March 12 to give her recommendation for the state’s proposed congressional plan, according to lawyer Dan Burstein, one of the plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit to have the redistricting process put in the court’s hands.
Burstein said state legislative leaders have until March 14 to serve their objections to Mann’s proposal, on which a three-judge court will hold a hearing March 15.
Meanwhile, the state Legislative Task Force on Redistricting and Reapportionment held its second Queens hearing Feb. 7 to solicit feedback on its preliminary maps. Gov. Andrew Cuomo had said he would be in favor of the courts drawing the lines if they were not produced by an independent redistricting commission.
Burstein said state legislative leaders are required to report back to the court March 15 to report on their progress toward redrawing state Assembly and state Senate district lines, which has drawn strong opposition in Queens.
“If there continues to be an impasse, the court will address it then,” he said.
The court decided to appoint Mann to redraw congressional lines first, Burstein said, because the petitioning period for the June 16 congressional primary will begin before the petitioning period for the Sept. 11 Assembly primary.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
