November 26, 2021 10:10 a.m.

State Senate President Peter Courtney said, “The Legislature has done its job”.

That was in reaction to a five-judge panel upholding the congressional redistricting passed by lawmakers during its September special session, finding that it met all legal requirements to create a fair, representative map. A unanimous opinion was released Wednesday, dismissing a petition challenging the plan.

Courtney said, “I’m glad that our product was taken to the courts. This map went through a very thorough and objective review. A panel of judges from each of Oregon’s five current congressional districts, found that the plan was based on public input and met all constitutional and statutory requirements”.

Senator Kathleen Taylor of Portland who chaired the Senate Committee on Redistricting said the group worked tirelessly under a very tight schedule to redraw Oregon’s congressional districts and add the first new district in 40 years. Taylor said, “The Legislature has once again succeeded in its duty to give better representation to our communities by redrawing districts in a way that was fair and inclusive of public input”.

Wednesday’s decision comes after a November 22nd opinion by the Oregon Supreme Court dismissing two challenges to the recently-passed redistricting plan for Oregon’s state legislative districts.