JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri House members are preparing to start work on a new congressional map that will have only eight districts, down from the current nine.
U.S. House districts are redrawn every 10 years to reflect changes in population based on the census. The U.S. Census Bureau announced last month that Missouri will lose one seat in the House.
The eight districts are the fewest for Missouri since the census of 1850.
The state Legislature is responsible for drawing the new congressional districts and will approve them just like any other legislation. A special House committee on redistricting scheduled an organizational meeting Thursday morning, with no plans to take public testimony.