The Alabama House of Representatives has approved a new congressional district map that the sponsor said complies with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling by adding a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.

Democrats opposed the plan and called it a futile effort to defy the Supreme Court’s finding that Alabama’s current map most likely violates the Voting Rights Act.

“This is really a slap in the face, not only to Black Alabamians, but to the Supreme Court,” Rep. Barbara Drummond, R-Mobile, said.

The plan would leave Alabama with one majority Black district out of seven despite the Supreme Court ruling that the state needs to add a second majority Black district or one close to that to fix the violation.

“I believe this map complies with the state’s obligations under the Voting Rights Act,” Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, the bill’s sponsor, said during debate on the House floor today.

The Pringle plan would keep District 7 as the only majority Black district out of the seven in Alabama, where one-fourth of residents are Black. It would increase the Black voting age population in District 2 from 30% to 42%. Pringle said the changes to District 2 would comply with the court mandate for a second district where Black voters could elect their preferred candidate.

The Republican majority in the House passed the plan Wednesday by a vote of 74-27 after more than three hours of discussion. The Senate will debate a similar plan later Wednesday.

A three-judge federal district court gave the Legislature until Friday to pass a new plan to be used in next year’s elections.

Pringle said plaintiffs testified during the federal court litigation that a 40% Black voting age population gives Black voters an opportunity elect a candidate of their choice. Pringle said he would be proud to present the plan to the court, which plans to hear challenges to the map next month.

Democratic lawmakers predicted the court would reject the map as a remedy for the Voting Rights Act violation.

“The smoke and mirrors is not going to work. And everybody here knows it’s not going to work,” Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, said. “I’m begging y’all please, for one time, for one time, Alabama, do what’s right.”

“I have never seen a learned group of people who will outright without any fear of contradiction would dare to blatantly flip off the United States Supreme Court and throw such a historical, monumental ruling in their face,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham.

Democrats proposed alternative maps. On the House floor Wednesday, Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, proposed a map supported by the plaintiffs who won the Supreme Court case. That map would make District 2 a second majority Black district, at slightly more than 50% Black voting age population.

The Republican majority rejected England’s bill by a vote of 73-27.

England later returned to the House floor and told Pringle he believed the purpose of his plan was not to follow the court order, but instead to generate a new court challenge to the Voting Rights Act.

“Your map is the quintessential definition of noncompliance,” England said.