South Dakota Bill Would Add Legislative Appointees to Nominating Commission

A senate panel approved a bill that would expand the state’s seven-member judicial nominating commission, adding two commissioners who would be appointed by the leaders of each chamber. The proposal does not specify whether these commissioners must be lawyers or non-lawyers. Currently, the judicial conference appoints two trial court judges, the state bar president appoints three lawyers, and the governor appoints two non-lawyers to serve on the commission. According to information collected by IAALS, legislators choose nominating commission members in eight other states, and in three states they confirm the governor’s appointees to such commissions.