California lawmakers opened simultaneous Assembly and Senate hearings on 19 Aug 2025 to consider ACA8, a constitutional amendment that would let the Democrat-controlled Legislature redraw the state’s congressional map mid-decade and submit it to voters in a November special election. The proposal would sidestep the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which voters created in 2008 to take map-drawing out of politicians’ hands. Democratic leaders argue a rapid rewrite is needed to offset a new Republican-favored map recently enacted in Texas. Critics—including every Republican member present and several Democratic good-government veterans—said the plan amounted to partisan gerrymandering and gave the public only a day to review draft lines. Former commissioners Cynthia Dai and Jeanne Raya told lawmakers the rushed process “abandons the gold standard” of transparency set by the commission. The hearings grew combative after Assembly Elections Chair Gail Pellerin limited debate to roughly two hours and declined to identify the consultants who drew the maps. Senate counterpart Sabrina Cervantes defended the process as transparent, while opponents accused Democrats of suspending normal constitutional rules. Republican legislators also cited an estimate from Rep. Kevin Kiley that a statewide special election could cost taxpayers about $250 million. The fight has drawn national attention. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he has directed the National Republican Congressional Committee to use “every measure and resource” to block the California effort, warning that it threatens the GOP’s slim U.S. House majority. The Legislature has not yet scheduled a floor vote on ACA8, and legal challenges are expected if the measure advances.