Joint committee elects officers, adopts long-standing rules ahead of retention season

The Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Retention elected Representative Angela Arsenault chair, a state senator as vice chair, and Representative Tom Oliver clerk, and then voted to adopt the committee’s rules of procedure, which were last revised in 1997.

The actions set the committee’s leadership and formal procedures for the 2025–26 biennium as members prepare to review retention materials and hold public hearings later this winter and spring. The committee formally adopted the 1997 rules by voice vote after nominations and seconds for the officer posts were made in open session.

Legal counsel Eric Fitzpatrick, who convened the meeting in the absence of an elected chair, explained the customary rotation of the chair between the Senate and the House and noted the officer terms run for the full two-year biennium. Following nominations, members indicated assent by voice vote; the chair declared the ayes carried for each officer election. The rules motion was likewise approved by voice vote after a brief opportunity to review the binder copies.

The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript. The meeting record indicates nominations, seconds, and voice votes for each officer post and for adoption of the rules. Members discussed taking more time outside the meeting to consider updating the rules and statute language in future sessions.

The new chair and vice chair will preside over the committee’s review of judges and justices who file declarations for retention later this year. The clerk will be responsible for recording votes during future deliberations.