The order of the U.S. District Court for the district of Vermont entered August 3, 1964, modified and affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States, January 12, 1965 ( Parsons v. Buckley, 85 S.Ct. 503, 379 U.S. 359, 13 L.Ed.2d 352) requires that both houses of the General Assembly of Vermont be apportioned and districted on a basis other than the manner provided for in the Constitution of this State. Such order further provides that if reapportionment legislation is not enacted by July 1, 1965, the district court shall reapportion the General Assembly so as to comply with the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In the light of this order, the General Assembly of Vermont declares that apportioning and districting is primarily a responsibility of the Legislature at this time to be accomplished by this chapter, and in such a manner as to achieve substantial equality in the choice of members of the General Assembly as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. It is further declared to be the policy of the State of Vermont that the constitutional basis of apportionment of the House of Representatives can best be measured in this State by population. (Added 1965, No. 98, § 2; amended 1981, No. 30, § 1, eff. April 16, 1981.)