The bill amends Section 8-16.1-6 of the General Laws regarding the nomination and appointment of judges in Rhode Island. It requires individuals seeking a judicial nomination to reapply to the judicial nomination commission every five (5) years. Individuals selected as finalists will be eligible only for the court in which they applied and were chosen during the five (5) years following their selection. The eligibility provision will sunset and expire on July 1, 2029, unless extended by the General Assembly.

The bill establishes that for the period of five (5) years following July 1, 2026, any individual whose name was publicly submitted to the governor by the commission shall also be eligible for subsequent nomination by the governor for any vacancy, or prospective vacancy, of a judge in the same court for which that individual had previously applied, except for vacancies in the positions of presiding justice, chief justice, or chief judge. Such individuals shall remain eligible for nomination to fill any vacancy, or prospective vacancy, with the same court for a period of five (5) years from the date their name was publicly submitted to the governor, unless they withdraw from future consideration in writing or the commission votes to terminate their eligibility.

The bill specifies that the governor shall fill any judicial vacancy by nominating one of the three (3) to five (5) highly qualified persons forwarded to the governor by the commission for the court where the vacancy occurs, or by nominating another individual who has previously applied for a vacancy or prospective vacancy within the same court and whose name had been publicly submitted to the governor within the previous five (5) years.

Each nomination shall be forwarded to the secretary of the senate for presentation to the senate, and with the advice and consent of the senate, each nominee shall be confirmed. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
7641: 8-16.1-6