Coastal district has advocates- Redistricting poses many questions
by MARSHA SHULER - Advocate (excerpt)

Some south Louisiana legislators are pushing for creation of a coastal district when the Legislature redraws congressional lines this spring, a key redistricting player said Monday. “It’s an idea worth looking into,” said state House and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rick Gallot, whose panel, along with a similar Senate committee, leads remap efforts.

Many ideas are floating around as the Louisiana Legislature prepares to tackle redistricting with one less congressional seat because of population losses in the last decade, Gallot, D-Ruston, told the Press Club of Baton Rouge. Louisiana expects to lose a congressional district — dropping to six overall — when some statewide census numbers are released Tuesday.

Gallot said the coastal areas have commonalities that should be considered as new congressional district lines are drawn, including exposure to hurricanes, the BP oil disaster and coastal erosion. New congressional lines will be on an eight-item, redistricting agenda when the Legislature meets March 20 to April 13 in a special session lawmakers have called.