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Ohio lawmakers say Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision means Ohio should act quickly to reform its congressional redistricting process, which has benefited the party in power when the lines are redrawn.

(Rich Exner and Ken Marshall)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Monday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Arizona's redistricting commission means Ohio could act quickly to reform its process for drawing congressional district maps.

Late last year, Ohio lawmakers passed revisions to the state legislative redistricting process with large bipartisan support in both chambers. Ohio Republicans then cited the Arizona case as the main reason for not also reforming the congressional redistricting process.

Despite Monday's decision, Ohio voters likely won't vote on a congressional plan in November, when they will be asked to approve the revised state legislative redistricting process. Lawmakers plan to recess for the summer this week and don't plan to return before the August deadline to put an issue on the November ballot.

Sen. Frank LaRose, a Copley Republican, said last year that Ohio should move forward despite the court case. LaRose said Monday he has drafted legislation for the congressional process that mirrors what will be Issue 1 on the November ballot. He said gerrymandered districts don't serve the interests of voters.

"In so many cases at both the state legislative and U.S. congressional level, many of us serve in districts where we don't have any real general election opposition," LaRose said. "If Democrats want to win primaries, they go further left and if Republicans want to win primaries, they go further right and I don't think it leads to the type of pragmatism and good governing we need."

Like Issue 1, the lines would be drawn by a seven-member commission panel composed of the governor, state auditor, secretary of state and four legislative members -- two each from the majority and minority parties in each chamber. At least two minority party votes would be needed to approve a map.

Ohio House Democrats had supported that plan. Rep. Kathleen Clyde, a Kent Democrat, said Monday the General Assembly should act as soon as possible to reform the congressional redistricting process.

"If there was a hurdle created by the uncertainty of this, today certainly removes that hurdle with this decision affirming the ability of the legislatures to adopt independent redistricting commissions for their states," Clyde said.

Clyde said lawmakers should discuss all possible solutions, including an independent redistricting commission. In 2012, Ohio voters rejected a plan that would have established such a commission.

House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, a Clarksville Republican, said he and House attorneys are reviewing the decision and how it impacts Ohio. Rosenberger, who voted for the legislative redistricting proposal, said lawmakers will have a better idea where voters stand on the issue after November's election.

Currently, congressional lines are drawn every 10 years by a committee of lawmakers and approved by the General Assembly. The setup allows the party in power -- Republicans in 2011 -- to draw lines and approve maps without minority-party input. Republicans hold 12 of Ohio's 16 congressional seats yet only won 55 percent of the votes in recent congressional elections statewide.

The Elections Clause of U.S. Constitution states the "times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof." In a 5-4 decision, the nation's highest court decided Arizona's independent commission, enacted by voters in 2000, did not violate the Elections Clause.

"In so acting, Arizona voters sought to restore 'the core principle of republican government, namely, that the voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around,'" Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg wrote for the majority.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio's 8th district, said last year the process didn't need to be fixed and warned Ohio lawmakers against making changes while the Supreme Court heard the Arizona case. Emails released in 2011 showed Boehner's staff made special requests of Ohio's redistricting panel to favor Republicans.

Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican and long-time advocate for redistricting reform, said Monday's decision should be a message to Ohio's lawmakers and congressional delegation to get together and pass reform before an outside group proposes constitutional amendment to do so.

"I would hope they would recognize the self-interest in doing it in a way they believe is fair rather than having it done to you in a way you think isn't fair," Husted said.