HB202 Summary

• Converts elections for state attorney general and state appellate judicial offices (Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals) from partisan to nonpartisan elections.

• Requires candidates to file declarations of candidacy with the Secretary of State 60 days before primary elections and pay a qualifying fee equal to 2% of the annual salary for the office, which is split equally between the two parties receiving the most votes in the previous election; candidates may file an affidavit of indigency instead.

• Establishes a separate nonpartisan judicial ballot listing candidates alphabetically by surname without party designation, with offices ordered as Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and State Attorney General.

• Creates retention elections for appellate judicial officers at the end of their terms, allowing voters to decide whether to retain them by majority vote rather than face contested elections.

• Establishes a Judicial Evaluation Commission with 11 members (5 non-attorney members including at least 2 African-Americans, 4 attorney members, and 2 judicial members) to evaluate appellate judges and justices standing for retention, with evaluations completed 60 days before retention elections.