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Utah Senate consents to two judicial nominees and dozens of gubernatorial appointments
Summary
The Senate consented to appoint Sean Howell as a Fourth District Court judge and Rita Cornish as Business and Chancery Court judge, and approved a slate of governor-recommended appointments to state boards and commissions. Both judicial nominees addressed the chamber after confirmation.
The Utah Senate on Aug. 20 consented to a series of governor-submitted appointments, including the confirmation of Sean Howell to the Fourth District Court and Rita Cornish to the new Business and Chancery Court.
A letter from Gov. Spencer J. Cox named Sean Howell for the Fourth District Court; the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee reported a favorable recommendation. Senator Todd Wyler described Howell as a long-serving trial attorney with prior clerkships and advocacy experience and moved the consent vote. The Senate recorded 27 yays, 0 nays and 2 absences and approved the appointment.
Judge Howell spoke to the chamber after the vote, saying, "I am deeply moved and grateful," and thanked the governor, lieutenant governor and her family for their support.
The Senate next took up Rita Cornish's nomination to the Business and Chancery Court. The governor's letter and a committee report were read, and senators emphasized Cornish's litigation and appellate experience, her law-review work and published opinions. After a roll-call vote that the clerk recorded as 28 yays, 0 nays and 1 absence, the Senate consented to Cornish's appointment. Judge Cornish thanked the body and said she understood the importance of serving as the first judge in the new court.
Earlier in the day the clerk read a long list of additional gubernatorial appointments to state boards and councils — including members for the Board of Aging and Adult Services, the State Charter School Board, the Office of Data Privacy and the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council — and committee chairs reported favorable recommendations. Under a single motion to consent to the appointments as read, the Senate voted 28-0-1 and approved the slate.
Actions and next steps: the Senate’s consents will be transmitted to the governor’s office and the appointees who were present were invited to stand and be recognized.
Context: the confirmations came during an extraordinary and subsequent special session convened to consider multiple nominations and a separate set of legislative measures.
