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Kansas Senate advances bill to make judicial nominating records public
Summary
The Senate committee reported SB 299 favorably after Sen. Thompson said the bill would require the Supreme Court and the Nominating Commission to disclose names and cities of nominees while allowing sensitive background checks to remain closed.
Senators moved SB 299 forward after a brief explanation from Sen. Shane Thompson of Johnson County about increasing transparency in judicial nominations.
The bill would prohibit the Kansas Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Nominating Commission from adopting a rule that shields the commission’s records; it would make public the names and cities of residents nominated to serve on the commission while permitting the closure of background checks and sensitive financial information. "All this does is just provide a level of transparency for our coequal judicial branch of government," Thompson said.
Supporters framed the measure as aligning judicial nominating procedures with disclosure standards applied to other executive or legislative appointees. Thompson said the current rules "cloak in secrecy" the names and number of candidates under consideration and that nominees have substantial influence on who ultimately sits on the Kansas Supreme Court. He noted the bill retains confidentiality for background checks and sensitive financial details.
No questions were raised during floor consideration, and Thompson moved that the committee report SB 299 favorably for passage; the Committee of the Whole approved the motion by voice vote.
Next steps: the committee reported the bill favorably and the matter will proceed through the Senate’s regular floor process.
