The maps were drawn by a citizens' commission for the first time in California history. But Republicans fear the new districts could give Democrats in the State Senate the necessary two-thirds supermajority to raise taxes. So they gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures seeking to force a voter referendum next November.
It's unclear whether referendum supporters turned in enough valid signatures to qualify the measure - but in the meantime, Republicans want the California Supreme Court to order different State Senate maps for next year's election. The Court declined to do so just yet. But it did agree to hear arguments in early January … and rule by the end of that month.
