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Senate Judiciary advances bill to loosen some judicial-conduct restrictions; opponents say it politicizes courts
Summary
HB 169 would allow judges and judicial candidates to attend partisan events, accept endorsements and—if the law later permits—make partisan speeches or solicit funds; the committee advanced the bill 6–3 amid state bar and civic opposition citing constitutional and canons-of-conduct concerns.
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 169 by a 6–3 vote after a hearing that pitted the bill’s sponsor, Representative Tom Mallett, against organized opposition from the State Bar, judges’ groups and civic organizations.
Representative Mallett described HB 169 as a short statute that would permit judges and judicial candidates to attend partisan events…
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