U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, a Jacksonville Democrat who has been perhaps the most-outspoken opponent of a congressional redistricting plan, will file a revised federal lawsuit by Dec. 29, according to a court filing Tuesday. The Florida Supreme Court on Dec. 2 approved a new map that dramatically changes Brown's district, which currently stretches from Jacksonville to Orlando. Under the new plan, the district would run from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, which is west of Tallahassee. The plan, which received a final sign-off Tuesday from Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis, is aimed at complying with the anti-gerrymandering "Fair Districts" standards approved by voters in 2010. Brown filed a federal lawsuit in August, arguing that reconfiguring her district would reduce African-Americans' chances of electing a candidate of their choice, violating the Voting Rights Act. The lawsuit was later placed on hold until the Supreme Court approved the new map. The document filed Tuesday in federal court in Tallahassee was a joint status report from attorneys for Brown, the state House, the state Senate, Secretary of State Ken Detzner and voting-rights groups. It said Brown plans to amend her original complaint by Dec. 29. Also it said the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida, the voting-rights groups that led a legal fight to require redrawn districts, will file an amended motion to intervene in the federal case by Jan. 12.
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