HF 3023

FIRST ENGROSSMENT

Judicial vacancy procedures established and modified, judicial performance commission and appellate judicial selection commission created, and constitutional amendment proposed.

ARTICLE 1 -- CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Section 1: Constitutional amendment is proposed. Following appointment by the governor, each judge shall initially hold office for a term ending December 31 following the next regularly scheduled general election held more than three years after the appointment. Thereafter, the term of office shall be eight years and until a successor is appointed and qualified and shall commence on the first day of January following the judge's retention election.

Section 2: Submission to voters language is provided. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2008 general election.

ARTICLE 2 -- STATUTORY PROVISIONS

Section 1: Ballot question language is modified to include, "A ballot question does not include a judicial retention election."

Section 2: Candidate language is modified to include, "Candidate means an individual who seeks nomination or election as a state constitutional officer, or legislator, or retention in a judicial office."

Section 3: Election language is modified to include, "retention election".

Section 4: Judicial retention candidates; designation of office language is modified.

Section 5: Judicial elections language is modified.

Section 6: Judicial retention candidates language is modified.

Section 7: Retention of judges language is provided.

Section 8: Nominees to governor language is modified.

Section 9: Commission on Appellate Judicial Selection language is provided.
Subdivision 1. Commission on Appellate Judicial Selection establishment and membership is provided.
Subdivision 2: Commission members language is provided.
Subdivision 3. Nominations language is provided.

Section 10: Judicial performance commission language is provided.
Subdivision 1. Purpose of the commission is provided.
Subdivision 2. Commission members language is provided.
Subdivision 3. Meetings and data language is provided.
Subdivision 4. Authority of commission language is provided.
Subdivision 5. Surveys language is provided.
Subdivision 6. Midterm evaluation language is provided.
Subdivision 7. Final evaluation language is provided.
Subdivision 8. Evaluation panels; reviews by full commission language is provided.
Subdivision 9. Publication of evaluation results language is provided.
Subdivision 10: Rules are provided.

Section 11: Judicial retention elections language is provided.

Section 12: Requirements for service on commissions language is provided.
Subdivision 1. Service on multiple commissions prohibited.
Subdivision 2. Service until appointment of successors.

Section 13: Telephonic or electronic participation in meetings language is provided.

Section 14: Judicial performance commission; first meeting language is provided.

Section 15: Repealer language is provided.

Section 16: Effective date is provided.

SNA 2/28/08