A Tallahassee judge broke the latest logjam over the future of the state’s congressional maps Wednesday and ordered the Florida Legislature to finish its maps — and subsequent trial to defend it — by Sept. 25. “The Court will do its best to accommodate everyone’s schedule but clearly there is not much time to do all that is required,” wrote Second Judicial Circuit Judge George Reynolds in a scheduling order released late Wednesday. The order is the first sign of movement on the congressional redistricting maps since the Florida Supreme Court ruled on July 9 that the Legislature had violated the Fair District provisions of the constitution and drew maps with “unconstitutional intent to favor the Republican Party and incumbent lawmakers.”
The court gave lawmakers 100 days — until Oct. 17 — to revise the map, have it reviewed by the trial court, and approved by the Florida Supreme Court.
Both House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner have refrained from any commentary on the ruling and have not indicated if, or when, they would call the Legislature into special session to complete the maps.
Full Article: Trial court breaks silence on redistricting schedule — orders Sept. 25 deadline | Naked Politics.