00HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 17                                                                                         
01 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to the                                         
02 nomination, selection, appointment, and public approval or rejection of justices of                                     
03 the supreme court and of judges of courts established by the legislature that have                                      
04 as an exclusive purpose the exercise of appellate jurisdiction over judicial acts and                                   
05 proceedings, and requiring legislative confirmation of those justices and judges.                                       
06 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                              
07    * Section 1.  Article IV, sec. 5, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                         
08  Section 5.  Nomination and Appointment ; Legislative Confirmation of                                                 
09 Justices and of Judges in Courts of Record Exercising Appellate Jurisdiction .   (a)                                   
10 The governor shall fill any vacancy in an office of supreme court justice or  in an                                    
11 office of judge in a court that is established by the legislature as a court of record                                  
12 having as its exclusive purpose the exercise of appellate jurisdiction in judicial                                      
13 actions and proceedings by selecting one of two or more persons nominated by the                                        
14 judicial council.  However, the governor's selection of a supreme court justice or                                      

01 of a judge for a vacancy in a court described in this subsection is subject to                                          
02 presentation to the legislature and to confirmation by a majority of the members                                        
03 of the legislature in joint session.  A person selected to fill a vacancy in an office                                  
04 of supreme court justice or in an office of judge in a court described in this                                          
05 subsection does not qualify to take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed for                                     
06 and to assume the duties of the office until confirmed by a majority of the                                             
07 members of the legislature in joint session.  If, at the regular or special session at                                  
08 which the person's name is presented, the legislature fails or refuses to confirm                                       
09 a person selected by the governor to fill a vacancy in an office of supreme court                                       
10 justice or in an office of judge in a court described in this subsection, the person                                    
11 may not thereafter be selected by the governor for a vacancy in an office of                                            
12 supreme court justice or in an office of judge in a court described in this                                             
13 subsection until the legislature that is chosen at the next general election has first                                  
14 convened.                                                                                                               
15  (b)  The governor shall fill any vacancy in an office of  superior court judge                                       
16 by appointing one of two or more persons nominated by the judicial council.                                             
17    * Sec. 2.  Article IV, sec. 6, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                            
18  Section 6.   Public  Approval or Rejection  of Justices and Judges .  Each                                          
19 supreme court justice  and each judge of a court described in Section 5(a) of this                                     
20 article shall, in the manner provided by law, be subject to approval or rejection                                       
21 on a nonpartisan ballot at the first general election held more than three years                                        
22 after the justice or judge takes and subscribes the oath of office as a justice or                                      
23 judge.  Each  [AND] superior court judge shall, in the manner provided by law, be                                      
24 subject to approval or rejection on a nonpartisan ballot at the first general election held                             
25 more than three years after [HIS] appointment. Thereafter, each supreme court justice                                   
26 shall be subject to approval or rejection in a like manner every tenth year, and each                                   
27 superior court judge, every sixth year.                                                                                 
28    * Sec. 3.  The amendments proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of                         
29 the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the                        
30 State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.