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Bill would bar governor from appointing temporary substitute who was rejected by nominations committee
Summary
Senator Smith presented SB 933 to prevent the governor from appointing to the Judicial Disabilities Commission a temporary substitute who had previously been rejected by the Executive Nominations Committee, closing what the sponsor described as a potential loophole created by a pending constitutional amendment.
Senator Smith told the committee that Senate Bill 933 would clarify a gap created by a recently passed constitutional amendment that grants the governor authority to appoint temporary substitute members to the Judicial Disabilities Commission. Smith said the bill would prohibit the governor from appointing someone to a temporary position if that person had previously been rejected by the Executive Nominations Committee.
Smith said the constitutional amendment—set to appear on the November ballot—would allow temporary appointments for recusals or disqualifications, but without the statutory clarification an interim appointment could be used to bypass prior Senate committee refusals. The sponsor framed SB 933 as an oversight and accountability measure and asked for a favorable report. Committee members asked whether this situation had occurred in practice; sponsors said no known instances but that there had been a near case in a prior session.
