Senate Joint Resolution 13 Summary

• Renames the judicial nominating commission to the Commission on Judicial Nominations and Qualifications and restructures its seven-member composition to include one attorney elected by the bar, one member appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore, one member appointed by the House Speaker, three citizens appointed by the Governor (with at least one being an attorney), and the Chief Justice or designee.

• Prohibits Commission members from holding salaried public office, holding political party office, or serving as lobbyists, and bars them from judicial appointment for three years after leaving the Commission.

• Requires gubernatorial appointments of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals justices/judges from Commission-recommended nominees to be confirmed by Senate majority vote, with the Senate able to fill vacancies if the Governor fails to appoint within 60 days.

• Establishes ten-year terms for justices and judges, with renewal requiring Senate retention confirmation; judges are retained unless they fail to apply or 60% of Senate members vote against retention.

• Provides a transition schedule allowing sitting justices and judges to continue until their current terms expire, with option to seek Senate confirmation for new terms before expiration.