HR 158 · 119th CongressIn Committee

CLEAN Elections Act

Latest updateJan 3, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor

Brian Fitzpatrick

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

January 3, 2025

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Currently, state legislatures draw congressional district lines following each decennial census, a process that often results in partisan gerrymandering—the manipulation of district boundaries to favor one political party. While some states have voluntarily adopted independent redistricting commissions in recent years, federal law does not require this practice. The Supreme Court has held that partisan gerrymandering is largely a political question beyond judicial remedy, leaving the practice largely unregulated at the federal level despite its effects on electoral competition and representation.

The CLEAN Elections Act requires each state to conduct congressional redistricting using a nonpartisan independent redistricting commission beginning with the 2020 census cycle. The bill defines a qualifying commission as one where members affiliated with the state's largest and second-largest political parties are equally represented, and where no elected officials serve. Additionally, the bill conditions federal election administration funding on states' agreement to use independent commissions for state legislative redistricting as well. The Election Assistance Commission will verify state compliance with these certification requirements.

Implementation begins immediately for congressional districts, with states required to adopt commission-based plans for the 2020 redistricting and all subsequent cycles. States seeking federal election administration funds must certify compliance for state legislative redistricting beginning with the first redistricting after the bill's enactment. The bill does not appropriate new funding but leverages existing federal election grants as an enforcement mechanism. States that refuse to adopt independent commissions for state legislative districts would lose federal election administration support, creating financial pressure to comply while preserving state flexibility in congressional redistricting methods.

Key Provisions

1Requires each state to conduct congressional redistricting using a nonpartisan independent redistricting commission beginning with the 2020 census cycle.
2Establishes that a qualifying commission must have equal representation from the state's two largest political parties and exclude all elected public officials.
3Conditions federal election administration funding on state certification that state legislative redistricting also uses nonpartisan independent commissions.
4Directs the Election Assistance Commission to verify state compliance with redistricting commission requirements for federal funding eligibility.

★ Why this matters

This bill would eliminate partisan gerrymandering at the federal level by removing state legislatures' unilateral power to draw congressional districts. It would increase electoral competition, make congressional seats less predetermined by mapmakers, and potentially shift which party wins certain districts based on voter preference rather than boundary manipulation. States would lose federal election administration funding if they refuse to adopt independent commissions for state legislative districts, creating a strong incentive for broader redistricting reform.

● Who this affects

Congressional representatives and candidates in all 50 states would face redrawn districts determined by independent commissions rather than partisan legislatures. State legislators in states that currently control redistricting would lose this power for both congressional and state legislative districts. Voters in gerrymandered districts—particularly those in safe seats drawn to concentrate partisan advantage—would experience altered electoral dynamics. The Election Assistance Commission would administer compliance verification and funding determinations. States with limited federal election administration budgets would face pressure to adopt independent commissions to retain funding.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 158

To require the use of independent nonpartisan commissions to carry out 
                      congressional redistricting.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2025

 Mr. Fitzpatrick introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

                                 A BILL

 
To require the use of independent nonpartisan commissions to carry out 
                      congressional redistricting.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption 
Reform of Elections Act'' or the ``CLEAN Elections Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING USE OF INDEPENDENT NONPARTISAN COMMISSIONS TO CARRY 
              OUT REDISTRICTING.

    (a) Requirement.--
            (1) Congressional redistricting.--Each State shall conduct 
        Congressional redistricting (beginning with the redistricting 
        carried out pursuant to the decennial census conducted during 
        2020) in accordance with a redistricting plan developed by a 
        nonpartisan independent redistricting commission.
            (2) Redistricting for state legislative districts.--
        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a State may not use 
        any funds provided by the Federal Government directly for 
        election administration purposes unless the State certifies to 
        the Election Assistance Commission that the State conducts 
        redistricting for State legislative districts in the State 
        (beginning with the first such redistricting carried out after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act) in accordance with a 
        redistricting plan developed by a nonpartisan independent 
        redistricting commission.
    (b) Nonpartisan Independent Status.--For purposes of this section, 
a commission shall be considered to be a nonpartisan independent 
commission if--
            (1) the number of its members who are affiliated with the 
        political party with the largest percentage of the registered 
        voters in the State who are affiliated with a political party 
        (as determined with respect to the most recent statewide 
        election for Federal office held in the State for which such 
        information is available) is equal to the number of its members 
        who are affiliated with the political party with the second 
        largest percentage of the registered voters in the State who 
        are affiliated with a political party (as so determined); and
            (2) none of its members is an elected public official.
    (c) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' means each 
of the several States.
                                 <all>

Auto-Whip

Where House representatives currently stand

Built from official statements, public releases, and voting records where they exist. Members without enough evidence are marked as no position.

448 tracked

Support

447

No Position

Oppose

Support

Members whose public record points toward backing the bill.

Jason Crow

D-Colorado · District 6

Likely support

While there is no explicit statement about the CLEAN Elections Act on the provided website content, several factors suggest possible support: (1) Rep. Crow is a Democrat, and campaign finance reform is typically a Democratic priority; (2) His website emphasizes 'Transparency' as a key issue, suggesting openness to addressing money in politics; (3) His statement on voting rights criticizes 'corporate special interests' embolding through court decisions, indicating concern about money's influence in politics; (4) The site lists 'An Economy for the Working Class' as a priority, which often correlates with support for campaign finance reform to reduce corporate influence. However, confidence is moderate because there is no direct evidence of his position on this specific bill in the provided content.

CLEAN Elections Act

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

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CLEAN Elections Act

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

Where House representatives currently stand

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Democratic Party

Republican Party

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