Substitute Bill No. 5380 Summary

• Composition change effective January 1, 2025: Reduces Judicial Selection Commission from 12 to 11 members, with 9 attorneys-at-law and 2 non-attorneys, replacing the prior 6-6 split.

• New experience requirement: All attorney members appointed after January 1, 2025 must have at least 10 years of active practice in Connecticut state courts.

• Appointment authority shift: Increases legislative branch appointments from 6 to 6 members and reduces Governor's appointments from 6 to 5 members, with all new appointees subject to joint standing committee review and General Assembly confirmation by concurrent resolution.

• Voting threshold elimination: Removes the "majority plus one" voting requirement for recommending new nominees and incumbent judges to different courts, changing to simple majority vote for all commission actions except certain incumbent judge matters.

• Prohibition extension: Extends the period during which attorney commission members cannot be nominated as judges from 2 years to 3 years after leaving the commission.

• Effective date: July 1, 2024 for the statutory amendments, with composition changes implemented January 1, 2025.