Constitution of Connecticut (2025 publisher edition) — Amendment XXVI

Publisher edition notice: The publisher identifies this compilation as revised to January 1, 2025. It preserves the annotated original 1965 text and all ratified amendments, alongside the Revisors' unofficial convenience version incorporating extant amendments. The latter does not supersede the original Constitution and amendments; later changes have not been independently verified.

Amendment XXVI Ratified amendment and publisher annotations.

ARTICLE XXVI.*
*Adopted November 28, 1990.
(Reapportionment procedure. Reapportionment Committee. Reapportion-
ment Commission.)
Section 2 of article sixteen of the amendments to the Constitution is amended to
read as follows:
1
a. The assembly and senatorial districts and congressional districts as now estab-
lished by law shall continue until the regular session of the general assembly next
after the completion of the taking of the next census of the United States. On or before
the fifteenth day of February next following the year in which the decennial census
of the United States is taken, the general assembly shall appoint a reapportionment
committee consisting of four members of the senate, two who shall be designated
by the president pro tempore of the senate and two who shall be designated by the
minority leader of the senate, and four members of the house of representatives, two
who shall be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives and two who
shall be designated by the minority leader of the house of representatives, provided
there are members of no more than two political parties in either the senate or the
house of representatives. In the event that there are members of more than two politi-
cal parties in a house of the general assembly, all members of that house belonging
to the parties other than that of the president pro tempore of the senate or the speaker
of the house of representatives, as the case may be, shall select one of their number,
who shall designate two members of the committee in lieu of the designation by the

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Art. XXVI AMENDMENTS TO THE 211
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
minority leader of that house. Such committee shall advise the general assembly on
matters of apportionment. Upon the filing of a report of such committee with the clerk
of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate, the speaker of the house of
representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate shall, if the general assem-
bly is not in regular session, convene the general assembly in special session for the
sole purpose of adopting a plan of districting. Upon the request of the speaker of the
house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate, the secretary of
the state shall give notice of such special session by mailing a true copy of the call of
such special session, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each
member of the house of representatives and of the senate at his or her address as it
appears upon the records of said secretary not less than ten nor more than fifteen days
prior to the date of convening of such special session or by causing a true copy of the
call to be delivered to each member by a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, state police-
man or indifferent person at least twenty-four hours prior to the time of convening of
such special session. Such general assembly shall, upon roll call, by a yea vote of at
least two-thirds of the membership of each house, adopt such plan of districting as is
necessary to preserve a proper apportionment of representation in accordance with the
principles recited in this article. Thereafter the general assembly shall decennially at
its next regular session or special session called for the purpose of adopting a plan of
districting following the completion of the taking of the census of the United States,
upon roll call, by a yea vote of at least two-thirds of the membership of each house,
adopt such plan of districting as is necessary in accordance with the provisions of this
article.
b. If the general assembly fails to adopt a plan of districting by the fifteenth day
of the September next following the year in which the decennial census of the United
States is taken, the governor shall forthwith appoint a commission designated by the
president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the
minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the house of representatives,
each of whom shall designate two members of the commission, provided that there
are members of no more than two political parties in either the senate or the house of
representatives. In the event that there are members of more than two political parties
in a house of the general assembly, all members of that house belonging to the parties
other than that of the president pro tempore of the senate or the speaker of the house of
representatives, as the case may be, shall select one of their number, who shall desig-
nate two members of the commission in lieu of the designation by the minority leader
of that house. The eight members of the commission so designated shall within thirty
days select an elector of the state as a ninth member.
c. The commission shall proceed to consider the alteration of districts in accord-
ance with the principles recited in this article and it shall submit a plan of districting
to the secretary of the state by the thirtieth day of the November next succeeding the
appointment of its members. No plan shall be submitted to the secretary unless it is
certified by at least five members of the commission. Upon receiving such plan the
secretary shall publish the same forthwith, and, upon publication, such plan of district-
ing shall have the full force of law. If the commission shall fail to submit such a plan
by the thirtieth day of November, the secretary of the state shall forthwith so notify the
chief justice of the supreme court.
d. Original jurisdiction is vested in the supreme court to be exercised on the peti-
tion of any registered voter whereby said court may compel the commission, by man-
damus or otherwise, to perform its duty or to correct any error made in its plan of

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CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
districting, or said court may take such other action to effectuate the purposes of this
article, including the establishing of a plan of districting if the commission fails to
file its plan of districting by the thirtieth day of November as said court may deem
appropriate. Any such petition shall be filed within thirty days of the date specified
for any duty or within thirty days after the filing of a plan of districting. The supreme
court shall render its decision not later than forty-five days following the filing of such
petition or shall file its plan with the secretary of the state not later than the fifteenth
day of February next following the time for submission of a plan of districting by the
commission. Upon receiving such plan the secretary shall publish the same forthwith,
and, upon publication, such plan of districting shall have the full force of law.
1 Amended by Article XXX., Sec. 2, of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.