Missouri's Republican-led state Senate is advancing a plan to revamp key parts of a ballot initiative on redistricting that was approved by voters just two years ago.
Senators gave initial approval Tuesday to a plan to lower “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness” to the least important factors among criteria used to draw state House and Senate districts.
If passed by the full Legislature, the measure would go before voters this year.
Republicans have raised concerns that the 2018 plan could lead to snaking districts that span both urban and rural areas in an effort to increase party competitiveness.