Bills › 89th General Assembly

Relating to the membership of the district judicial nominating commissions

Topics:Courts & civil law

Same legislation: SF 2132, HSB 636, HF 2481

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 12, 2022
  2. Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 12, 2022
  3. Done: Senate committeeJanuary 27, 2022
  4. Skipped: Passes the SenateContinued as SF 2132
  5. Next: House committee
  6. Next: Passes the House
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. Next: Signed into law

Became SF 2132 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 2132 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Groups that pick candidates for district court judges would change how they are organized. Instead of five people, the governor would now appoint six people to each group, and no more than half can be the same gender. These groups would also stop having a judge serve as the leader and instead pick a chairperson from among their own members.1

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to the district judicial nominating commissions. Under current law, the governor appoints five eligible electors of each judicial district to the 11-person commission. The bill changes the amount of electors to six and provides that no more than half of the commissioners appointed shall be of the same gender. Under current law, the most senior judge in the district serves as a commissioner and as the chairperson of that particular district judicial nominating commission. The bill removes the judge from the commission and from being chairperson and the members of each district judicial nominating commission elect a chairperson from their own number. District judicial nominating commissions are responsible for screening applicants and selecting nominees for district court judicial vacancies. There is a nominating commission for each of Iowa’s judicial election subdistricts. District nominating commissions provide the governor with a slate of two nominees from which to make an appointment to the district court.

Changed since by amendment H-8128; see Amendments.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed2

Senate subcommittee

Named January 12, 2022. On January 24, 2022 it recommended passage.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§46.3§46.6

How the Code works3

Lobbying

5 for · 20 against · 9 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Similar bills

  • SF 171 Relating to the membership of district judicial nominating commissions
    90th General Assembly · Passed Senate
    Very similar
  • SF 407 Relating to the membership of district judicial nominating commissions
    91st General Assembly · Passed Senate
    Very similar

Matched by wording or an identical title.