Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee moves to closed session to review appointees, approves minutes

The Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee unanimously approved minutes from June 10, 2025, then voted to close a portion of its meeting to privately review application materials and question judicial appointees.

Under sections 204 and 205 of the Open and Public Meetings Act, the committee voted to move into closed session so staff could brief members on appointees and each appointee could be brought in separately to be sworn and answer committee questions in private. The committee chair said the closed session was expected to take 15 to 20 minutes and asked members of the public to step into the hall while it was in progress. "All in favor, say aye. Aye," the committee chair said after a motion; the chair later said, "That motion also passes unanimously."

The first action was a motion to approve the minutes from June 10, 2025; the committee chair called for discussion and, seeing none, the committee approved the minutes. The committee then considered and approved a motion "as permitted by sections 204 and 205 of the Open and Public Meetings Act" to close a portion of the meeting "in order to privately discuss the appointees' character, competence, and or health." The motion passed unanimously; Senator Ibsen was noted as appearing virtually.

Committee staff will brief members during the closed portion, and each appointee will be invited separately into the closed meeting to be sworn and answer committee questions. The committee chair told attendees the panel would reconvene and readmit the public after the private briefings and interviews concluded.

No formal confirmation votes or decisions on the appointees were recorded in the public portion of the transcript provided. The actions recorded publicly were limited to approving the prior meeting minutes and the motion to close the meeting under the cited provisions of the Open and Public Meetings Act.