00SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 15                                                                                        
01 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to the                                         
02 appointment and confirmation of supreme court justices and superior court judges                                        
03 and to approval or rejection of justices and judges during certain general                                              
04 elections.                                                                                                              
05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                              
06    * Section 1.  Article IV, sec. 5, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                         
07  Section 5.  [NOMINATION AND] Appointment  and Confirmation .  The                                                   
08 governor shall fill any vacancy in an office of supreme court justice or superior court                                 
09 judge by  appointment.  A person appointed under this section may not take office                                      
10 until confirmed by a majority of the members of the legislature in joint session                                       
11 [APPOINTING ONE OF TWO OR MORE PERSONS NOMINATED BY THE                                                                 
12 JUDICIAL COUNCIL].                                                                                                      
13    * Sec. 2.  Article IV, sec. 6, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                            
14  Section 6.  Approval or Rejection.  Each supreme court justice and superior                                         

01 court judge shall, in the manner provided by law, be subject to approval or rejection                                   
02 on a nonpartisan ballot at the first general election held more than three years after his                              
03  confirmation by the legislature  [APPOINTMENT].  Thereafter, each supreme court                                      
04 justice shall be subject to approval or rejection in a like manner every  sixth  [TENTH]                              
05 year, and each superior court judge, every  fourth  [SIXTH] year.                                                     
06    * Sec. 3.  Article IV, sec. 9, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                            
07  Section 9.  [ADDITIONAL] Duties  of the Judicial Council .  The judicial                                            
08 council shall conduct studies for improvement of the administration of justice, and                                     
09 make reports and recommendations to the supreme court and to the legislature at                                         
10 intervals of not more than two years.  The judicial council shall perform other duties                                  
11 assigned by law.                                                                                                        
12    * Sec. 4.  The amendments proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of                         
13 the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the                        
14 State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.