The governor would get more power over commissions that choose judicial nominees under a bill passed Monday by the Iowa Senate.
District judicial nominating commissions consider applicants for Iowa district judge positions, and they send the names of top applicants to the governor, who selects the new judge. The bill would remove the judge from each commission and let the governor appoint the majority of commissioners. Sen. Julian Garrett, R-Indianola, says judges have too much influence over the commissions.
But Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, says the bill would politicize Iowa’s judicial system.
“We have a good system, and I don’t know any reason to think that that system is broke. So, the old adage is, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
In 2019, the Legislature gave the governor the majority of appointments to the commission that picks nominees for the Iowa Supreme Court. Senate Republicans have been trying for years to extend that policy to district commissions.