The unanimous panel decision not only found that the state likely violated Section 2 in failing to create a second black majority congressional district. It also rejected the state’s argument that private plaintiffs have no right to sue under Section 2, an issue that has been percolating in the lower courts after a couple of Supreme Court Justices raised it.
From the NYT coverage:
Jeff Landry, the state’s Republican governor-elect, was expected to call a special legislative session to address the issue. But Mr. Landry will not be inaugurated until Jan. 8, making it unclear whether lawmakers would have enough time to decide on a new map before the Jan. 15 deadline. He could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
It was not clear whether the outgoing governor, John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, would call for a special session before the end of his term. “I remain confident that we will have a fair map with two majority Black districts before the congressional elections next year,” he said in a statement.