The Alabama House and Senate are expected to vote Friday on a new congressional district map, a compromise version approved by Republicans on a conference committee.

Like earlier versions of maps supported by the Republican majority in the State House, it does not add a second majority Black district.

Friday is the deadline set by a federal court for the Legislature to approve a new map.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a three-judge district court ruling that Alabama’s current map likely violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the Black vote.

One-fourth of the state’s residents are Black, but only one of the seven Congressional districts has a majority Black population. The district court said that to fix the violation, Alabama needed a second majority Black district “or something quite close to it,” a district where Black voters would have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.

The map approved by the conference committee Friday would leave District 7 as the lone majority Black district, barely, at 51% in Black voting age population, down from 56% on the current map. It would increase the Black voting age population in District 2, which covers southeast Alabama, from 30% to 40%.

Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, sponsor of the plan, said the intent is for District 2 to be the second “opportunity” district for Black voters.

Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, a member of the conference committee, said the plan does not comply with the court’s order.

“This is the quintessential definition of noncompliance and I believe it will be rejected,” England said.

The three-judge district court tentatively scheduled an Aug. 14 hearing to consider challenges to the map.

The conference committee voted 4-2 in favor of the map. Voting for the map were the four Republicans on the panel — Livingston, Sen. Clay Scofield of Guntersville, Rep. Chris Pringle of Mobile, and Rep. Chris Sells of Greenville.

Voting no were England and Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham.