STATE APPEALS COURT JUDGES TO HOLD HEARINGS ON REDRAWING SENATE DISTRICTS

JEFFERSON CITY - Six state appeals court judges, assigned the task of redrawing Missouri's 34 state Senate districts, have held an organizational meeting and will hold hearings this week in Jefferson City.

The judges, two from each of the state's three appeals court districts, were appointed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Edward Robertson on Sept. 24, after a 10-member bi-partisan commission was unable to come up with a reapportionment of the Senate districts.

The judicial panel has until Dec. 20 to file a final plan with the secretary of state. The plan will determine new boundary lines. An ideal size Senate district is comprised of 150,502 people.

A hearing will begin at 9 a.m. Monday in the Division II courtroom of the Missouri Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City. If necessary, the hearing will continue into Tuesday.

Anyone interested in testifying must first talk with Ryan Burson, of the Office of Administration to arrange an appointment. Testimony will be limited to 10 minutes.

In addition, the judges will take written testimony, which, said Burson, must be submitted in the form of an original and six copies. Written testimony should be sent to the Office of Administration, P.O. Box 809, Room 534, Capitol building, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102.

Burson said that although the commission will welcome any testimony, it is not necessary to present information that was already presented to the previous commission.

He said careful consideration will be given to all of the apportionment descriptions, maps and testimony prepared by and presented to the bi-partisan commission.

Appellate commissioners are: Kenneth W. Shrum and John C. Crow, both of the southern district; Robert W. Berrey III and Don W. Kennedy, both of the western district; and James A. Pudlowski and Kathianne K. Crane, both of the eastern district.

The bi-partisan commission deadlocked over such issues as whether incumbent senators should be protected; where open districts would be created and whether they are up for election in 1992 or 1994; and whether some senators should be placed in the same district, forcing them to run against a colleague.

In Southeast Missouri, the present 27th District of Sen. John Dennis has 146,998 residents, while the 25th of Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, has 140,511 people. Dennis' district could stay intact and still be near the desired population; however, Howard needs additional people. That will likely force realignment of the 27th District.