(AP) — The Louisiana Legislature has until Jan. 15 to enact a new congressional map after a lower court last year ruled that the current political boundaries dilute the power of the state’s Black voters, a federal New Orleans appeals court said Friday. Louisiana is among states still wrangling over congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act. They argue that Black populations in the state are too dispersed to be united into a second majority Black district. Lawmakers now have until mid-January to draw and pass a new map, which would have to be done through a special session. However, in the appeals court’s order it does say that the district court will have discretion to grant “limited additional time” if requested.

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