This bill addresses judicial retention. This bill: - modifies the ballot requirements for judicial retention elections; - modifies the information contained in the voter information pamphlet for judicial retention elections; - requires the lieutenant governor to transmit a retention recommendation from the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance to a county clerk; - amends the ballot language for a judicial retention election to address a retention recommendation from the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance; - provides that certain records for the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance are private; - requires the Judicial Conduct Committee to provide records to the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance under certain conditions; - defines terms related to judicial performance evaluations; - requires the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission to provide the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance with a list of judges who are subject to a retention election in the next scheduled regular general election; - creates the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance; - addresses the membership, length of appointment, selection of the chairs, quorum requirements, and compensation for the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance; - allows the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance to evaluate a judge and provide a recommendation to the public as to whether the judge should be retained for another term; - provides the evaluation and recommendation process for the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance, including requiring the Joint Legislative Committee on Judicial Performance to:hold any committee meeting to evaluate a judge before August 15 of the year in which the judge is subject to a retention election in a regular general election; andprovide a retention recommendation for a judge to the lieutenant governor on or before August 15 of the year in which the judge is subject to a retention election in a regular general election; and - makes technical and conforming changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 20A-6-301, 20A-6-304, 20A-6-305, 20A-7-701, 20A-7-702, 20A-7-801, 20A-12-201, 63G-2-302, 63G-2-305, 78A-7-203, 78A-11-112, 78A-12-102