SC Senate expects to debate redrawn election maps

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Legislators are preparing to debate new district lines for 46 state Senate seats.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell says he expects to begin debate on the redrawn districts Wednesday.

Redistricting is required every 10 years so political boundaries are adjusted to Census population shifts.

The American Civil Liberties Union proposed last week drawing those maps to create a new black majority district and protect a black voting majority in a second district.

But the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected those proposals. The plan the Senate would begin debating has nine black majority districts instead of the 11 the ACLU wanted.

The House approved a redistricting plan Tuesday for its 124 seats. It also approved plans for adding a new U.S. House district.