Maybe there's some long game here and they're going to go ahead and break the 9th up finally.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/276/textTo amend title 28, United States Code, to divide the ninth judicial circuit of the United States into 2 circuits, and for other purposes.
If I'm understanding this correctly ...
Current 9th circuit covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington plus Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Proposed 12th circuit would cover Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington
Proposed 9th circuit would cover California, Hawaii, Oregon, Guam, Northern Marianas.