Iowa Supreme Court says it’s ready to handle redistricting

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court issued a rare statement saying the court plans to take care of legislative redistricting if the Legislature isn’t able to handle the task due to the delayed release of information by the U.S. Census. Iowa lawmakers have been uncertain what to do after the Census acknowledged it would miss a March 31 deadline to release once-a-decade population figures used to redraw legislative boundaries. Because of delays blamed on the coronavirus pandemic, the federal agency instead will release the data in late summer or fall. Because of that, the Iowa Legislature will likely be unable to meet a state constitutional requirement that reapportionment be approved by Sept. 15. The court said Thursday it would meet its “constitutional responsibility.”