The Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee approved the minutes from its Dec. 16, 2024, meeting and unanimously voted to hold a closed session to discuss judicial appointees, the committee chair said.

The committee chair opened the public meeting and asked for a motion to approve the Dec. 16 minutes. "Is that it? Moved," said Senator Brammer, who moved the minutes approval. After no discussion, the chair said, "Aye," and ruled that the motion "passes unanimously." The committee then took up a motion to move into a closed meeting.

Explaining the closed-session authority on the record, the committee chair cited the Open and Public Meetings Act and said, "As permitted by sections 204 and 205 of the Open and Public Meetings Act, this committee may close a portion of its meeting to the public, to privately discuss the appointee's character, competence, or health." The chair added that while in the closed meeting the committee would invite the appointees to answer questions under oath and that the closed portion "may take about 15 minutes." Senator Pitcher moved to close the meeting; the chair called for and recorded the ayes and ruled the motion passed unanimously.

No roll-call vote totals or individual affirmative/negative votes were recorded in the public transcript. The committee paused the public proceeding to hold the closed session and indicated attendees would be asked to step out and be invited back after the private questioning.

Minutes approval and the decision to close the meeting were the only substantive actions recorded in the public portion of the transcript provided. The committee identified the statutory basis for the closed discussion and the scope of matters to be discussed (character, competence, health of appointees).