LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

Los Angeles City Charter tit. I, art. VIII, pt. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

in effect

Los Angeles City Charter § 810 Commission Establishment and Purpose.

Sec. 810. Commission Establishment and Purpose. (a) There shall be a Los Angeles Unified School District Independent Redistricting Commission (the “Commission”) that shall have the powers, duties, and responsibilities set forth in the City Charter and by ordinance. (b) The purpose of the Commission is to strengthen the governance of the Los Angeles Unified School District by developing Board of Education district boundaries through a fair, transparent, inclusive, and independent redistricting process that empowers public participation and public access to its proceedings. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 811 Commission Organization, Powers, and Duties.

Sec. 811. Commission Organization, Powers, and Duties. (a) The Commission shall consist of 14 members and four alternate members. (b) A new Commission shall be established every ten years after each federal decennial census. The members of the Commission shall be selected no later than April 1 of each year ending in the number zero. (c) The term of office of each member of the Commission shall begin on the date of that commissioner’s respective selection and shall expire upon the selection of the first member of the succeeding Commission. (d) The Commission shall have the power and duty to: (1) adopt the boundaries of the Board of Education districts of the Los Angeles Unified School District following each federal decennial census; (2) comply with the redistricting criteria and process set forth in the Charter and by ordinance; (3) act in an impartial manner that ensures the integrity and fairness of the redistricting process; (4) educate and inform the public about redistricting, solicit and encourage public participation in the redistricting process, and hold public meetings and hearings that are accessible and provide the public the opportunity to participate and provide comment throughout the process; (5) make recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, and City Ethics Commission regarding redistricting matters; and (6) perform other redistricting functions as prescribed by ordinance. (e) The Commission may provide for youth participation on the Commission with participants selected through a process, and possessing the powers and duties, as provided by ordinance. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 812 Commissioner Qualifications and Restrictions.

Sec. 812. Commissioner Qualifications and Restrictions. (a) Each Commission member shall be at least 18 years old, unless a lower minimum age requirement is established by ordinance. Each Commission member shall be a resident of the Los Angeles Unified School District at the time of selection, and shall have resided in the Los Angeles Unified School District for at least three years immediately preceding the person’s submission of an application. A Commissioner is not required to be a registered voter or a citizen of the United States. (b) A person shall not be eligible to apply to or serve on the Commission if the person has been an employee of the Los Angeles Unified School District or a member of a Los Angeles Unified School District commission at any time in the four years immediately preceding the person’s submission of an application. (c) A person shall not be eligible to apply to or serve on the Commission if the person or person’s spouse or family has engaged in the prior political and lobbying activities described in the California Elections Code provisions regarding eligibility requirements for independent redistricting commissions. Additional eligibility requirements may be provided by ordinance. (d) Applicants to the Commission shall demonstrate collaborative skills, experience in civic engagement, and the ability to analyze complex data. (e) While serving on the Commission, a member of the Commission shall not endorse, work for, volunteer for, or make a campaign contribution to, any member of the Board of Education or candidate for elective Board of Education office, or serve on a redistricting commission for any other governmental body. (f) A member or former member of the Commission shall not do any of the following: (1) Be a candidate for an elective Board of Education office unless more than five years have elapsed from the commissioner’s last date of service on the Commission or ten years have elapsed from the date of the commissioner’s selection to the Commission, whichever is less. (2) Be a candidate for an elective Board of Education office for any district for which the election will be conducted using district boundaries that were adopted by the Commission on which the member served. (g) For a period of four years after the last date of service on the Commission or ten years after the date of selection to the Commission, whichever is less, a member or former member of the Commission shall not do any of the following: (1) Accept appointment to another commission of the Los Angeles Unified School District. (2) Accept employment as a paid staff member of, or receive compensation as a consultant to, a member of the Board of Education or candidate for elective Board of Education office. (3) Receive a non-competitively bid contract with the Los Angeles Unified School District. (4) Act as a registered Los Angeles Unified School District lobbyist. (5) Accept appointment to a Los Angeles Unified School District office. (h) Alternate members of the Commission shall be subject to the same eligibility requirements, standards of conduct, and restrictions as other Commission members. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 813 Commissioner Selection and Removal.

Sec. 813. Commissioner Selection and Removal. (a) An application process to identify prospective commissioners shall commence no later than April 1 of each year ending in the number nine. (b) The City Clerk shall manage the Commission application process, with the City Ethics Commission providing oversight. The City Clerk and City Ethics Commission may delegate these responsibilities to their staff or consultants. (c) The City Clerk shall conduct an outreach and education program to ensure that there is publication and awareness of the Commission application process, with efforts to reach underserved communities and with efforts conducted in multiple languages as identified by ordinance. The City Clerk shall monitor and make public the demographic data of application submissions and enhance outreach as reasonably needed to ensure that the applicant pool has a sufficient number of qualified applicants and reasonably reflects the Los Angeles Unified School District’s diversity. (d) An interested person meeting the eligibility requirements for service on the Commission may submit an application to the City Clerk. The City Clerk shall review the applications and establish an applicant pool consisting of those individuals who meet the objective eligibility requirements specified in subsections (a) through (c) of Section 812. (e) The City Clerk shall post the names of individuals in the applicant pool for public review and establish a process by which the public may provide information regarding the eligibility of an individual in the applicant pool. The City Ethics Commission shall review the information provided by the public and determine whether any individual shall be removed from the applicant pool. (f) Following the public review period, the City Ethics Commission shall evaluate the applications of the individuals in the applicant pool to identify individuals who satisfy the eligibility requirements specified in subsections (a) through (d) of Section 812 and who shall be included in the Commission Selection Pool. After the establishment of the Commission Selection Pool, the City Ethics Commission shall have the authority to receive information from the public and make determinations regarding the continuing eligibility of individuals in the Commission Selection Pool. (g) The City Clerk shall conduct a random drawing at a public meeting to select one person residing in the geographic region of each of the seven Board of Education districts. The result of this selection process shall be the selection of seven members of the Commission, one from the geographic region of each of the seven Board of Education districts. (h) The seven selected commissioners shall review the applications of all remaining applicants in the Commission Selection Pool to select seven additional members of the Commission. These selections shall be made at a public meeting by a two-thirds vote of the seven initial commissioners based on the applicant’s relevant experiences and backgrounds, familiarity with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s neighborhoods, ability to be impartial, and to ensure that the Commission reflects the Los Angeles Unified School District’s diversity, including racial, ethnic, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, income, professional, and geographic diversity. However, formulas or ratios shall not be applied for this purpose. These selections also shall be made in a manner that ensures that at least four of the 14 members of the Commission are parents or guardians of pupils who attend a school within the Los Angeles Unified School District at the time of selection. (i) After the 14 commissioners have been selected, the Commission shall select four persons from the remaining applicants in the Commission Selection Pool to serve as alternate commissioners. The selection of alternate commissioners shall be made in a manner that ensures geographic diversity among the alternate commissioners. (j) The Commission may remove a commissioner for substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, inability to discharge the duties of office, failure to comply with the commissioner eligibility requirements and restrictions described in Section 812, unexcused absences, or failure to abide by transparency requirements. Removal under this provision requires a two-thirds vote of the Commission after providing the member notice of a public hearing and an opportunity to respond in writing and at the public hearing. The removed member may appeal the Commission’s decision to the City Ethics Commission. (k) The Commission may immediately remove a commissioner who has been charged with a felony offense, or who has been charged with a criminal misdemeanor related to a violation of official duties as described in Section 207(c). Removal under this provision requires a two-thirds vote of the Commission. The removed member may appeal the Commission’s decision to the City Ethics Commission. (l) The position of a member of the Commission shall become vacant if the member pleads guilty to or no contest to or is convicted of a felony. (m) If a vacancy occurs on the Commission, the Chair of the Commission shall conduct a random drawing at a public meeting to select one of the alternate commissioners to serve as a commissioner. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 814 Redistricting Criteria.

Sec. 814. Redistricting Criteria. (a) The Commission shall adopt Board of Education district boundaries that comply with the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. Each district shall have a reasonably equal population with other districts, except where deviation is required to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act or as allowable by law. (b) In addition to following the requirements of subsection (a), the Commission shall adopt Board of Education district boundaries using the following criteria as set forth in the following order of priority: (1) To the maximum extent practicable, districts shall be geographically contiguous. Areas that meet only at the points of adjoining corners are not contiguous. Areas that are separated by water and not connected by a bridge, tunnel, or regular ferry service are not contiguous. (2) To the maximum extent practicable, and where it does not conflict with the preceding criterion in this subsection, the geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community of interest shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division. A “community of interest” is a population that shares common social or economic interests that should be included within a single election district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Characteristics of communities of interest may include, but are not limited to, shared public policy concerns such as education, public safety, public health, environment, housing, transportation, and access to social services. Characteristics of communities of interest may also include, but are not limited to, cultural districts, shared socioeconomic characteristics, similar voter registration rates and participation rates, and shared histories. Communities of interest do not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates. (3) To the maximum extent practicable, and where it does not conflict with the preceding criteria in this subsection, districts shall be bounded by natural and artificial barriers, by streets, or by the boundaries of the Los Angeles Unified School District. District boundaries should be easily identifiable and understandable by residents. (4) To the maximum extent practicable, and where it does not conflict with the preceding criteria in this subsection, districts shall be drawn to encourage geographical compactness in a manner that nearby areas of population are not bypassed in favor of more distant populations. (c) The Commission shall not adopt district boundaries for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against an incumbent, political candidate, or political party, and the place of residence of an incumbent or candidate shall not be considered in the development of district boundaries. (d) Other additional criteria should be considered by the Commission when adopting district boundaries, including consideration of the community and cultural association with economic and cultural landmarks and resources. All decisions concerning additional criteria shall be considered and approved in public meetings. The Commission’s consideration of additional criteria should be considered in compliance with and subordinate to the applicable requirements of subsections (a) through (c). (e) After the Commission has adopted district boundaries, the Commission shall number each Board of Education district such that, for as many residents as possible, the number of the Board of Education district they reside in remains the same. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 815 Public Meetings, Outreach, and Accessibility.

Sec. 815. Public Meetings, Outreach, and Accessibility. (a) The Commission shall comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act and other applicable open meeting laws. (b) The Commission shall take steps to encourage residents to participate in the redistricting process, including those in underrepresented communities and non-English speaking communities. (c) The Commission shall hold public hearings and workshops in a manner that ensures that the public has the opportunity to participate and comment in each phase of the redistricting process. (d) The Commission shall provide live translation of Commission meetings in English and Spanish and as further provided by ordinance. The Commission shall provide materials in the languages required by federal and state law and as provided by ordinance. (e) The Commission shall develop and implement an Accessibility Plan to ensure that people with disabilities and seniors are able to access and fully participate in Commission meetings and hearings. The Commission shall develop this plan prior to the initiation of public hearings. (f) For purposes of providing testimony, members of the Board of Education shall be subject to the same public comment procedures as members of the public. (g) Ex Parte Communications. (1) A member of the Commission shall not communicate with any individual or organization regarding redistricting matters outside of a public meeting. This provision does not prohibit communications with another commissioner, Commission staff, legal counsel, or consultants retained by the Commission. This provision does not prohibit communications with City and Los Angeles Unified School District staff to the extent those communications are related to administrative matters or educational presentations made to the public. (2) The Executive Director of the Commission, any mapping staff member or mapping consultant of the Commission, and other Commission staff as designated by the Commission shall not communicate with any member of the Board of Education or elected City officer, candidate for elective Board of Education or City office, or staff of any such member or candidate, either directly or through an agent, regarding redistricting matters outside of a public meeting. This provision does not prohibit communications with City and Los Angeles Unified School District staff to the extent those communications are related to administrative matters or educational presentations made to the public. (3) A member or employee of the City Ethics Commission, City Clerk, or other City department involved in the process for selecting members of the Commission shall not communicate with any member of the Board of Education or elected City officer, candidate for elective Board of Education or City office, or staff of any such officer or candidate, either directly or through an agent, regarding any matter related to the selection process outside of a public meeting before that process has been completed. This provision does not prohibit communications to the extent those communications are related to administrative matters, legal advice, or educational presentations made to the public. (4) The Commission may adopt other rules regarding communications provided the rules comply with the Brown Act, do not conflict with the provisions in this subsection, and are adopted in a public meeting of the Commission. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 816 Commission Conduct of Business, Administration, and Personnel.

Sec. 816. Commission Conduct of Business, Administration, and Personnel. (a) Each member and alternate member of the Commission shall be a designated employee in the conflict of interest code for the Commission adopted pursuant to the California Political Reform Act, and shall file with the City Ethics Commission a statement of economic interests and other financial disclosure statements as required by law. (b) The affirmative votes of a majority of the Commission shall be required for any official action, except the following actions which shall require the approval of two-thirds of the Commission: (1) a vote for the final redistricting plan; (2) a vote to remove a commissioner; (3) a vote for the selection of the seven commissioners described in Section 813(h); (4) a vote to hire the Executive Director, mapping consultant or mapping staff member, and any other position designated as key staff by the Commission; and (5) a vote to authorize the delegation of hiring or contracting authority, to the extent such authority is delegable under state and City law. (c) The alternate members of the Commission may fully participate in Commission deliberations but may not vote and may not be counted towards the establishment of a quorum. (d) The Commission shall select one commissioner to serve as the Chair of the Commission. The Commission may designate other officers from its membership. (e) Consideration of principles for the development of district boundaries for draft and final redistricting plans shall be conducted in a public meeting and approved by a vote of the Commission. (f) The Commission shall post proposed map principles and any proposed final map on the Commission’s website for a minimum of seven days before consideration at a Commission hearing or meeting. (g) The Commission shall hire an Executive Director and redistricting, technology, and outreach staff, whose positions shall be exempt from the civil service provisions of the Charter. (h) The Commission shall have the authority to hire consultants through a competitive process consistent with the contracting provisions of the Charter and as provided by ordinance. (i) The City Clerk shall provide support to the Commission in accessing City resources, coordinating with City and Los Angeles Unified School District departments and personnel, and other administrative matters as needed. The executive office of the Board of Education also shall provide support to the Commission. (j) The Commission may utilize the City Attorney as legal counsel or may request the City Attorney to retain legal counsel for the Commission. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 817 Adoption of Final Redistricting Plan.

Sec. 817. Adoption of Final Redistricting Plan. (a) The Commission shall adopt its final redistricting plan establishing new Board of Education district boundaries no later than September 30 of each year ending in the number one. (b) If the Commission does not adopt a final redistricting plan by the deadline in subsection (a), the City Attorney shall immediately petition the Superior Court for an order prescribing new Board of Education district boundaries in accordance with the redistricting criteria described in Section 814, and those boundaries shall apply to Board of Education elections until the Commission is able to adopt a final redistricting plan. (c) The Commission shall issue, with the final plan, a report that explains the basis on which the Commission made its decisions in achieving compliance with the redistricting criteria described in Section 814. (d) Upon adoption of a final redistricting plan, the Commission shall submit the plan, final report, and any other accompanying materials to the City Clerk and publish this material on the Commission’s redistricting website. (e) The City Clerk shall post the Commission’s final redistricting plan and report on the City’s website. The City Clerk shall publish the final plan and description of the new Board of Education district boundaries in the same manner as an ordinance of the City. (f) The final redistricting plan establishing new Board of Education districts shall become effective 31 days from its publication as provided for ordinances in the Charter. (g) The final redistricting plan shall be subject to referendum in the same manner as a City ordinance. (h) No change in the boundary or location of any district by redistricting shall operate to abolish or terminate the term of office of any member of the Board of Education prior to the expiration of the term of office for which the member was elected. (i) District boundaries adopted by the Commission shall not be altered until after the next federal decennial census occurs except to settle a legal claim or in response to an order of a court. (j) Any territory annexed to or consolidated with the Los Angeles Unified School District shall be added to an adjacent district or districts by the Commission. The addition shall be effective upon the completion of the annexation or consolidation proceedings. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 818 Commission Funding.

Sec. 818. Commission Funding. (a) The City Council and Mayor shall provide sufficient funds to meet the needs for the formation and operation of the Commission, including to compensate Commission staff, consultants and legal counsel, conduct outreach to solicit broad public participation in the redistricting process, and, if necessary, defend the actions of the Commission in any legal proceeding. (b) The City Council and Mayor shall provide funds to all City departments involved with the formation of the Commission, providing support to the Commission, and maintaining the records of the Commission. (c) The Los Angeles Unified School District shall reimburse the City for costs incurred by the City, including City departments, for the formation and operation of the Commission. (d) Commissioners shall be compensated as provided by ordinance. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 819 Commission Recommendations.

Sec. 819. Commission Recommendations. (a) The Commission may recommend changes to the independent redistricting process described in the City Charter and Administrative Code by submitting a report to the City Ethics Commission with findings, analysis, and data that support the Commission’s recommendations. (b) The City Ethics Commission shall review the Commission’s recommendations and may transmit a report to the City Council containing recommendations for amendments to the City Charter and Administrative Code regarding redistricting. To the extent the recommendations include amendments to the Administrative Code, the Ethics Commission shall also prepare and transmit, with the assistance of the City Attorney, any proposed ordinance that would be required to effectuate the recommended amendments. (c) Administrative Code Amendments. Within 60 days of submission of an Ethics Commission report and accompanying proposed ordinance recommending amendments to the Administrative Code regarding redistricting, the City Council shall hold a public hearing concerning the matter and act to approve, without change, or disapprove the proposed ordinance. If the Council fails to disapprove within the 60-day period, the proposed ordinance shall be presented to the Mayor for approval or veto, and to the Council for override of the Mayor’s veto. If approved by the Mayor, or the Mayor fails to act, or approved by the Council on override of the Mayor’s veto, the proposed ordinance shall be deemed approved. (d) Charter Amendments. An Ethics Commission report recommending an amendment to the City Charter regarding redistricting shall be considered by the City Council in time to allow for submittal of the charter amendment to the voters at the next available election. An amendment to the City Charter requires the approval of the voters of the City. SECTION HISTORY Added by Charter Amendment LL, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Source: City of Los Angeles, Charter and Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-126956Fetched: 10/24/2026