Advocacy Action: Ask Your PA Representative to Co-sponsor HB 1776

Now that Representatives Steve Samuelson and Mark Gillen have formally introduced House Bill 1776, let’s make sure ALL our PA state representatives hear from constituents asking them to support it. HB 1776 would amend the PA Constitution to create an Independent Redistricting Commission. This commission would, under strict rules for transparency and prioritized criteria, draw our congressional and state legislative maps. Time is short for action on the bill in this session. Contact your PA representative and ask them to join the list of co-sponsors. If they’re already co-sponsors? Call and say THANKS! Then call a House leader.

Remember: Nothing changes unless this changes!

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Ready to get started? Follow these steps:

1. Find your State House Rep.

Use the drop-down list to find your state house rep and get their contact info. You can see if they are co-sponsoring this year’s legislation. You can also view their prior positions on redistricting reform, if any.

Click here to view a list of all Sponsors.

If you do not know their name or district number you can use the PA General Assembly locator tool to find your PA House Rep.

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2. Use these sample talking points to prepare and personalize your script.

Script: Hello. My name is [give your full name]. I live in [name of city/town/boro]. Reps Gillen and Samuelson have introduced HB 1776! This bill will create an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw our congressional and state legislative lines. We don’t know who will be in the majority in 2031, but we do know that Democratic leaders will draw maps to favor Democrats and that Republican leaders will draw maps to favor Republicans. Maps that are drawn by citizens under strict transparency and criteria rules will favor citizens. Please add your name to HB 1776! Thank you!

More Talking Points:

• HB 1776 reflects conversations with legislators, mappers, national redistricting experts and longtime opponents of gerrymandering in PA.
• HB 1776 includes provisions from past redistricting reform proposals while incorporating new lessons learned from the latest round of redistricting in PA and other states.
• There is no perfect redistricting process or perfect map, but a growing body of evidence suggests key provisions that can limit conflicts of interest, expand public involvement and prevent district lines that lock in advantage for one political party. Those include genuine commission independence; equal access to data and mapping platforms; well-publicized, accessible public meetings; and clearly prioritized mapping criteria. All are included in HB 1776.

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If your rep has co-sponsored, call or send an email thanking them for their support. And then…

• Call the three legislative leaders who have the power to make sure that HB 1776 gets a vote in committee and on the floor of the House.
• They need to hear from as many of us as possible so they know people across PA care about this issue.

Call the House State Government Majority Committee Chair, Rep. Carol Hill-Evans. She controls the committee agenda and can move this bill forward for a vote.

• Rep. Carol Hill-Evan’s Office: (717) 787-7514

• Script: Hello. My name is [give your full name]. I live in [name of city/town/boro]. I’m calling to ask that House Bill 1776 get a vote in committee. I know from your own sponsorship that redistricting reform is important to you. Another one of the bill’s co-sponsors is my own representative. Please give HB 1776 a vote in committee and help end gerrymandering! Thank you.

Just five more minutes will make a big difference:

Consider calling House Majority Leader Matt Bradford and Speaker Joanna McClinton. Together they control the House agenda and have a final say on what bills are given a vote.

• House Majority Leader Matt Bradford’s Office: (717) 772-2572
• Speaker Joanna McClinton’s Office: (717) 772-9850

• Script: Hello. My name is [give your full name]. I live in [name of city/town/boro]. I’m calling to ask that HB 1776 get a vote in committee and on the floor. This bill has the support of over ___ sponsors. One of the co-sponsors is my own representative. My representative cannot represent me if bills that they support are not allowed a vote. HB 1776 should get a vote in committee and on the floor.

3. Tell us how it went

Help us mobilize effectively by letting us know who you called and what they said. Use this form to share details of your call.

4. Want to take one more step?

Send a personal note or postcard, or hold a postcard party to amplify the message. Create your own postcard, or order some from the FDPA materials order form. Use the same messaging as suggested above. Or just say something as simple as “Please co-sponsor House Bill 1776!”. Be sure to include your return address so it’s clear you’re a constituent.

Thank You!