State lawmakers passed a compromise measure today to tweak and temporarily extend the state’s process for selecting judges, which had been set to phase out at the end of June.
The House and Senate passed different versions of a bill Thursday aiming to buy legislators another two years to iron out the matter of judicial selection.
Supporters say during that interval it makes the process more transparent. But opponents argue the only constitutional way for Tennessee to choose judges is by public election.
Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey says no one is pleased with the bill they passed, but it’s better than nothing.
“What we passed today at least keeps the system working. It’s much, much better than what we had in that it takes the special interests out of the judicial nominating commission.”
The bill would keep lobbyists off the commission, and require its meetings to be public.
The House version limits what judge the governor can appoint to those offered by the commission. The Senate still has to weigh in on that amendment before the bill is finished.
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Imploring other representatives to support the bill, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner says Tennessee’s current system is the envy of other states.
“Because we don’t have all the special interests in this, trying to buy judges, trying to buy verdicts… I would ask us to go on, take this compromise. Nobody loves this deal but it’s probably the best thing we could do, and I think it’s a pretty good deal at the end of the day.”
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