SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois House Republicans are furious that Democrats want to pass a plan this week to amend the state constitution with new language for redistricting. 

House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch filed a resolution Monday to change how legislative districts are drawn in favor of Democrats.

The constitutional amendment resolution states that districts should be drawn substantially equal in population, ensure no citizen is denied equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect people on account of race.

"This is as though you were caught playing with a corked bat in a baseball game," said Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria). "Rather than coming into compliance, you changed the rules to say it's allowable for our team to cheat and use the corked bat, but the other team cannot."

The plan also states lawmakers must create racial districts where possible and ensure they're compact and contiguous. 

House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28 passed out of the House Executive Committee on a partisan 8-4 vote Tuesday night. It now heads to the House floor for further consideration.

"We are the most diverse legislature in the history of this state," Welch said. "Gutting the federal Voting Rights Act would put that in jeopardy. The people of Illinois [deserve] a legislature that looks like them." 

This constitutional amendment question would need to pass out of both chambers by May 3 to appear on the November ballot. 

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