A growing coalition of political reform groups launched a plan to change the way legislative districts are drawn in Illinois.

The League of Women Voters, the Better Government Association, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and former members of the Illinois Reform Commission introduced the “Illinois Fair Map Amendment” Thursday.

Instead of legislators controlling the process behind closed doors, the group is proposing the idea of requiring all newly drawn maps be released to the public for viewing.

The “Illinois Fair Map Amendment” would establish a nine-member board, with two members chosen by each legislative leader. The ninth member, and leader, would be chosen by the other eight board members.

“This puts the interest of people of Illinois ahead of the people with self interests,” said Brad McMillan, executive director of the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley University.

McMillan said the transparent process will also eliminate backdoor political party favors from the process.

“Do we have the right to pick our representatives?” asked Andy Shaw, executive director of the Better Government Association. “Or are they going to pick us?”

This move for a more transparent redistricting process would require a 2/3rds margin for the redrawn districts to be approved. If the proposed maps are rejected more than twice, the board would be required to choose one of the maps to become law.

In the case of a tie, a Supreme Master would be chosen by two Supreme Court Justices. They could not be a lobbyist, immediate family member, public or political official, contractor or employee of the state. The current fail-safe policy consists of an eight-member board consisting of two members chosen by legislative leaders. If there is a tie, the winner is chosen from a hat.

In order to place the question of redistricting reform on the November 2010 ballot, the coalition must gather at least 500,000 signatures. The proposed amendment must then receive 3/5ths majority of those voting to become law.

“This is kind of a great civic experiment,” Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform told the Tribune editorial board. “It’s an attempt to create a fireball from the outside to say, if nothing else, even if this one doesn’t get there, there is a demand and there is energy mobilizing.”

District maps are currently redrawn every 10 years.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said he will consider the proposal, but was vague on his opinion on the need for reform.

“I’ve said for a long time that I think the current system worked real well in the ‘90s when the Republicans drew the maps then in the House the Democrats won four out of five elections,” Madigan said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Read the full Chicago Tribune story here.