| In the coming days, legislators in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives could vote on a proposed constitutional amendment (House Bill 38) that would require state Supreme Court Justices, as well as Superior and Commonwealth Court judges, to run for election in gerrymandered political districts similar to those currently in place for state and federal elected officials. We’ve all seen the state and federal districts that are contorted and misshaped, purposely drawn in a fashion that benefits one political party over another. Pennsylvanians are already fed up with the gerrymandered districts for our state and federal elected officials. There is no good reason for this controversial practice to be applied to our judicial system. Air pollution blows across all of Pennsylvania, and water pollution can impact millions of people spaced far apart along our streams and rivers. Pennsylvania's environmental challenges don't care about political boundaries, and the courts that rule on our environmental laws shouldn't either. That's why we oppose any plan to politically gerrymander our state courts. Justice should be blind, not rigged. Unfortunately, judicial gerrymandering is much closer to reality than many realize. Any amendment to Pennsylvania’s Constitution must pass in two separate sessions of the state Legislature. To that end, the first iteration of this legislation passed in the 2019-2020 legislative session and, if it passes again now, the initiative will appear on ballots for voter approval. That’s why we need you to step up now and contact your state representative, and demand they vote against any proposal for judicial gerrymandering! | |
