The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would change the rules for state judicial appointments, including a current Supreme Court vacancy.
House Bill 4785 makes a change to law regarding gubernatorial judicial appointments, allowing them to stand if the unexpired term is no more than three years.
This would impact the state Supreme Court seat recently vacated by Evan Jenkins. Governor Jim Justice soon will appoint someone to fill that position.
Under current law, the Governor would appoint someone to serve until the general election this fall when someone would be elected to serve the rest of Jenkins’ term.
However, if this bill completes legislative action, the legislation would allow the appointee to serve until the 2024 election, the next election in which the seat would have been on the ballot.
The Senate passed the bill with an amended title, so the House will have to concur with the amendment to complete action on the bill and send it to the Governor’s desk. The amendment made no substantive changes to the bill.
UPDATE:
The Senate completed action on one bill and made its way through second and first reading on the calendar during its evening floor session. The body also received additional committee reports and read several of those bills a first time.
House Bill 4797 completed action. The legislation would facilitate the creation of an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan for West Virginia that describes how our state intends to use its share of NEVI Formula Program funds. This deals with an electric vehicle charging network that will need to be created in each state.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Health will meet at 6:15 p.m. in 451M.
Tomorrow Morning Meetings:
Judiciary at 9 a.m. in 208W
Economic Development at 10 a.m. in 451M.
