Democratic state legislators began the process this afternoon of voting down the congressional maps proposed by the state’s redistricting commission. But they were still working out some details about what will happen next. Here are three subjects that lawmakers will continue negotiating through the night and what we know about where they are so far: What, exactly, will be in the maps? Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris highlighted what he called “a number of constitutional defects in the lines.” Mapmakers “clearly engaged in incumbent protection,” he said, alluding to the seats held by Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan and Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro. “It was actually bipartisan incumbent protection, which is interesting, which explains how they got out of [the commission] with bipartisan support.” “There are numerous county cuts, which are also prohibited by the constitution,” Gianaris said of splitting counties into various districts. “There are communities of interest that are not properly reflected in the lines. So there’s plenty of defects.” There has been a general expectation that the maps won’t feature dramatic changes: One idea that was circulating early today involved making tweaks to districts in the Hudson Valley and Long Island. Part of that is due to a state law that limits changes to the commission’s plan by more than 2 percent in each district. But Gianaris didn’t rule out completely scrapping that law, allowing for more wholesale changes. “It’s hard to correct some of the things we’ve talked about that are impermissible in this map within the two percent,” he said. When will all this happen? Petitioning to get on the congressional ballot is due to start in around seven hours. It’s clear at this point that this window will start before the lines are done. Assembly and Senate Democrats are expected to discuss new maps in closed-door conferences tonight. Under the smoothest possible scenario, that would let them print a bill sometime before midnight then vote on it after it completes the three-day aging period on Thursday. But while legislative leaders have said in recent weeks that they don’t plan to use a “message of necessity” from the governor — which would let them ignore the three-day aging period — there’s not a firm commitment to avoid that path at the moment. “Right now, I’m committed to getting something done quickly that we can then present to the conference and the public can see,” Gianaris said. “As to when it’s going to be or how long that’s going to be out there before it’s voted on, I don’t know yet.” What else might change? Lawmakers said they’re still discussing how the rules on petitioning might change, if at all, to account for the delay. Democrats are also weighing a measure to say that any legal challenges to the new lines could only be brought in one of four counties. That has been characterized as an attempt to limit “forum shopping” – which Democrats accused the GOP of when they brought their 2022 suit in deep-red Steuben County. That was approved by the Senate’s Rules Committee at 4 p.m. today and was expected to be approved by the full chamber before the day was done. The Assembly has been less clear about whether it would approve the bill. It would likely come before that house’s Governmental Operations Committee, though Chair John McDonald said he was not yet aware of plans to vote on it. | 
