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IA SF407

A bill for an act relating to the membership of district judicial nominating commissions.


summary

Introduced
02/20/2025
In Committee
03/18/2025
Crossed Over
03/17/2025
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

91st General Assembly

Bill Summary

This bill relates to the membership of district judicial nominating commissions. Under current law, the governor appoints five eligible electors of each judicial district to each 11-person commission. The bill increases the number of electors appointed by the governor to six. Under current law, the most senior judge in the district serves as a commissioner and as the chairperson of that particular district judicial nominating commission. The bill removes the judge from the commission and from being chairperson and requires the members of each district judicial nominating commission to elect a chairperson from their own number. District judicial nominating commissions are responsible for screening applicants and selecting nominees for district court judicial vacancies. There is a nominating commission for each of Iowa’s 14 judicial election subdistricts. District judicial nominating commissions provide the governor with a slate of two nominees from which to make an appointment to the district court.

AI Summary

This bill modifies the composition and leadership of district judicial nominating commissions in Iowa, which are responsible for screening and recommending judicial candidates for district court vacancies. Currently, the governor appoints five members to each 11-person commission, but the bill increases this to six gubernatorial appointees. Additionally, the bill removes the most senior judge in each district from automatically serving as the commission's chairperson and instead requires the commission members to elect their own chairperson from among themselves. The elected chairperson will serve a two-year term expiring on April 30 of even-numbered years and can be reelected up to three times. If the current chairperson wishes to step down from leadership while remaining a commissioner, they must notify the governor and other commissioners, who will then elect a new chairperson to complete the remainder of the term. These changes aim to modify the selection and leadership process for district judicial nominating commissions, potentially increasing the governor's direct influence and allowing more collaborative leadership selection among commission members.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Subcommittee recommends passage. (on 04/02/2025)

bill text


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