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Courts committee certifies slate of judges by voice vote, posts subcommittee rosters and reaffirms fiscal "Albo icebox" rule
Summary
After interviews, the House Courts of Justice Committee reviewed a multi-page slate of incumbents and nominees and certified circuit, general district and JDR judges by block voice votes; the committee also announced subcommittee memberships and reiterated that bills with fiscal impacts will not be heard until funds are identified.
After candidate interviews, the committee reviewed a multi-page list of incumbents and nominees and approved certification of the lists in blocks by voice vote.
Chair Delegate Patrick Hope asked members to review a three- to four-page list of judges and told the panel he would take names up in blocks and that the votes would be by voice. A motion was made to certify the circuit-court slate; the committee voiced "aye," and the chair declared the block certified. The committee then moved to certify the general district court nominees and the juvenile and domestic relations (JDR) nominees in separate blocks, again approving certification by voice vote.
When presenting committee business, Hope also announced subcommittee assignments for the session, listing membership for the civil, criminal and judicial subcommittees and saying the lists would be posted online soon. He specified chairs and members for each subcommittee and said subcommittees will begin meeting on Wednesdays.
On internal policy, Hope reaffirmed the committee's longstanding "Albo icebox" rule governing bills that have fiscal impacts: "bills that come to us that have a fiscal impact, we are not gonna hear them until we know that we can pay for their their fiscal impact," he said, adding the practice has been in place for about two decades and is used by both parties to avoid hearing bills the committee cannot fund.
The committee concluded its agenda and adjourned.
