On Friday, Democrats in the California State Legislature announced new legislation to call a special election in November, which they said is meant to empower voters to protect the state’s economy and democracy, and fight back against “reckless attacks by Trump and Republicans.”

The legislation includes a state constitutional amendment to set a special election on Nov. 4. It also makes public, for all voters to see and review, new proposed Congressional maps for California. 

Voters will have the final say on the maps when they cast their ballots.

The proposed maps are now publicly available on the Senate and Assembly Elections Committee websites.

Californians also can provide input on the map via a public portal on the same website, which already has received more than 3,000 public comments since its launch on Wednesday.

“Republican redistricting efforts in Texas and other states are dividing communities, undermining voter freedom — and their maps are drawn in secret without letting the people decide,” the legislators said in their announcement. 

In California, lawmakers in the Assembly and Senate pushed for key provisions in the legislation to ensure fidelity to independent commissions, protections for the Voting Rights Act, and preservation of California cities and communities:

• California will keep the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. The Legislature’s plan makes sure the commission maintains its full scope of work and authority after the 2030 Census and beyond, redrawing California’s Congressional, state legislative and Board of Equalization lines every 10 years.

• California only acts if Republicans try to rig the vote. The legislation includes a trigger to ensure that maps will take effect only if other states effectuate partisan gerrymanders. Several Republican-controlled states, most notably Texas, are considering gerrymanders aimed to benefit their party. Unlike California, none are submitting those plans for voter approval.

• Every state in the country should have independent redistricting. The bills include provisions to express California’s policy to support nonpartisan, independent redistricting nationwide and would call on Congress to initiate a federal constitutional amendment to require nonpartisan, independent redistricting nationwide.

• Protecting communities of color and historically marginalized voters. The new map makes no changes to historic Black districts in Oakland and the Los Angeles area, and retains and expands Voting Rights Act districts that empower Latino voters to elect their candidates of choices.

• Keeping cities and communities together. The proposed Congressional map keeps more cities whole within a single district than the most recent map enacted by the commission.

“This is about more than drawing lines on a map, it’s about drawing a line in the sand to stop Texas and Trump from rigging the election,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire. “This is about protecting the people of the Golden State, our Democracy, and making sure voters have a say. Access to health care matters. Reproductive rights and Planned Parenthood matters. Making life more affordable matters. So does keeping tariffs from killing California jobs. These are the stakes, this is what we will be voting on this week in the Legislature, and what the people of California will vote on in November.”

“Trump sparked this national crisis when he called Texas to rig the election,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. “California is fighting back. Democrats are empowering voters to protect working families and our democracy — with the most transparent process in the nation. Voters will see the maps and have the final say. The stakes couldn’t be higher, but I’m confident we’ll defeat this assault on our democracy and end Trump’s attacks on California.”

Overview of the legislation

The Legislature will consider three bills in order to call and facilitate the special election:

• A constitutional amendment which authorizes the replacement of the existing Congressional map.

• A statute which contains the new proposed Congressional map for voter approval.

• A statute to call the special election, appropriate funding for election administration, and make conforming changes to election calendars.

State leaders said Trump and Republicans continue to harm California’s families, workers and businesses in a number of ways:

• Trump’s tariffs are making family essentials and basic household items more expensive.

• Trump’s budget slashes billions of dollars in funding for social services, threatening access to health care and food for millions of Californians.

• Trump’s immigration raids are damaging California’s economy as they terrorize our communities.

• Trump is arbitrarily and capriciously cutting off grant funding for California’s research universities, along with K-12 funds, punishing California students and stalling resources for afterschool programs and teacher training.

• Trump and the federal government are playing politics with California’s requests for relief following the devastating January fires in Los Angeles.

Timeline of anticipated legislative action

• Monday, Aug. 18: Legislation into print in Assembly and Senate.

• Tuesday, Aug. 19: Assembly and Senate Elections Committees hear legislation.

• Wednesday, Aug. 20: Assembly Appropriations Committees hears legislation.

• Thursday, Aug. 21: Anticipated floor votes in both Assembly and Senate.