Relating to access to confidential records of the commission on judicial qualifications by standing committees of the general assembly

This bill relates to confidential records of the commission on judicial qualifications. The commission on judicial qualifications was created to hear charges made against judicial officers and employees of the judicial branch and determine whether to make an application to the supreme court to retire, discipline, or remove a judicial officer or remove a judicial branch employee. The records made to the commission are confidential unless the commission decides to apply to the supreme court to take action against the judicial officer or employee in which case the records become public documents. The bill provides that a member of the general assembly may request access to the commission on judicial qualifications’ records. A member of the general assembly that is granted access is not able to disclose any of the records provided. A member of the general assembly that is party to an action shall not be allowed to request records relating to the judicial officer presiding over the action the member of the general assembly is involved in until the action is final and may not be appealed.