TOPEKA, Kan. — Conservatives have revived their longstanding efforts to move the Kansas Supreme Court to the right by changing how its justices are selected.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved two rival proposals to amend the Kansas Constitution to change how Supreme Court justices are selected.
The measures go to the full Senate for debate. If both chambers approve one of the proposals with two-thirds majorities, it will go on the ballot in the August primary for voters' possible approval.
One proposal would have the governor nominate new justices and require their confirmation by the Senate. The other would have prospective justices run in partisan statewide elections.
The current selection process has a commission led by lawyers nominate three finalists for each vacancy and the governor make the appointment, with no role for lawmakers.
Conservatives have for years argued that the current process isn't transparent enough and the Supreme Court is too liberal for the state.
They've also been upset over past Supreme Court rulings on abortion and education funding. Six of the seven justices were appointed by Democratic or moderate Republican governors, including three by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
Supporters of the current selection process argues that it makes Supreme Court appointments less political and results in more independent justices.
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