Senate OKs Redistricting Reform Measure : Politics: The proposed constitutional amendment would overhaul the method of redrawing legislative and congressional districts after the census.

In a move fraught with political overtones, the state Senate on Thursday approved a proposed ballot measure to overhaul the way in which legislative and congressional districts are redrawn after the present census.

A 28-4 bipartisan vote sent the constitutional amendment, sponsored by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward), to an uncertain fate in the Assembly.

Majority Democrats voted for the new plan, which could appear on the November ballot, in hopes of undermining the chances of Propositions 118 and 119 in the June 5 primary election.

Most Republicans, on the other hand, voted for it as a safety valve in case the two propositions, which have broad GOP support, fail to pass. GOP lawmakers are still smarting from what they consider an adverse 1982 reapportionment.

In brief, the constitutional amendment calls for the Legislature to draw a redistricting plan and submit it to an independent 12-member citizens commission for review and possible changes. The commission would hold at least five public hearings on the plan.

The redistricting plan would go back to the Legislature, which could adopt or rewrite it. It would become law if approved by a two-thirds vote of both houses. But the governor’s signature would not be required.

At least 40% of all districts would have to be “competitive” or winnable by either a Democrat or a Republican.

Redistricting is a politically explosive task that the lawmakers accomplish every decade after the federal census. The party in power usually tries to maintain its majority status by drawing districts that will remain “safe” for them until the next redistricting. The way district lines are redrawn can spell either political survival or extinction for individual legislators.

“The non-productive trench warfare that we go through every decade needs to be eliminated,” Lockyer said.

Noting the growing use of the initiative process in recent years to overcome legislative reluctance to act on crucial issues, Senate Democratic leader Barry Keene of Benicia said, “Representative government is on trial in California, and the outcome is uncertain.

“We are faced with the possibility of turning over the reins of public policy-making to the initiative process. We’ve got to start thinking consensus on more issues around here.”

Senate Republican leader Ken Maddy of Fresno said the GOP suffered from the 1980 reapportionment, which he called the “worst gerrymandering” that he had ever seen.

“We need to do something to increase fairness,” Maddy said. “I suggest we move this along and give the Speaker and the Assembly a chance to review it to see if they also want fairness.”

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) last week called Propositions 118 and 119 “frauds” designed by Republicans to seize power from the Democrats.

Proposition 118 would require that any reapportionment plan be approved by two-thirds votes of both houses of the Legislature, be signed by the governor and ratified by the voters.

Proposition 119 would create an independent commission to draw new district lines after the 1990 census is completed.

Ellen Elliott, a League of Women Voters official and strong supporter of Proposition 119, said the Lockyer bill was no more than an attempt to undercut support for the two ballot measures. She said lawmakers have had a decade since the last redistricting to change the system.

“The thought of real reform is causing some movement” in the Legislature, Elliot said.

Times staff writer Daniel M. Weintraub contributed to this story.