Alaska 32nd Legislature (2021-2022) Status: In Committee 1 R cosponsors

SB 129 — An Act relating to information on judicial officers provided in election pamphlets.

Last action — (S) REFERRED TO RULES

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 32nd Legislature (2021-2022). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

39 added · 74 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of SB 129 changes how information about judges is presented during retention elections. Originally, the bill required judges seeking retention to submit a 300-word statement and details about their qualifications, but the new version removes that requirement and instead mandates that the judicial council provide a 600-word evaluation of each judge, including any public reprimands or suspensions. This change is significant because it shifts the focus from self-reported information by judges to an evaluation from an independent body, potentially increasing transparency and accountability in the judicial election process.

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32-LS0751\N CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.
32-LS0751\B SENATE BILL NO.
129(JUD) IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE -SECOND SESSION BY THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Referred:
129 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY SENATOR MYERS Introduced:
State Affairs Sponsor(s):
4/21/21 Referred:
SENATOR MYERS A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to information on judicial officers seeking retention in office." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
Judiciary, State Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to information on judicial officers provided in election pamphlets." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
AS 15.58.030(g) is amended to read:
(g) Not [NO] later than August 7 of the year in which the state gelar election will be held, a person seeking retention in office as a justice or judge may file with the lieutenant governor the following information, not to exceed 300 words:
(1) a photograph;
(2) information regarding the residency of the justice or judge;
(3) information regarding the military service of the justice or judge;
(4) information regarding the professional activities of the justice or judge, including public outreach and administrative activities;
(5) any additional information that the justice or judge would like published to support the justice's or judge's [AND A STATEMENT ADVOCATING THE] candidacy.
SB0129B -1- CSSB 129(JUD) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0751\N * Sec.
2.
The statement must [SHALL] reflect the evaluation of each justice or judge conducted by the judicial council according to law and, except for information required by law to be kept confidential, must contain, in fewer than 1,200 words total, (1) for a superior court judge or district court judge subjecto retention, (A) a statement written by the judge, not to exceed 150 words, describing the professional philosophy of the judge;
The statement may not exceed 600 words, must [SHALL] reflect the evaluation of each justice or judge conducted by the judicial council according to law, and must [SHALL] contain the following information, except when required by law to be kept confidential:
(B) a description of the judicial, legal, or other education of the judge;
(1) a brief statement describing each public reprimand, public censure, or suspension received by the justice or judge under AS 22.30.011(d) during the period covered in the evaluation;
(C) a description of the business experience of and professional positions held by the judge in the preceding 10 years;
and SB0129A -1- SB 129 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0751\B (2) background information on the justice or judge, identifying (A) the law school from which the justice or judge graduated;
(D) a list of service organizations with which the judge is affiliated;
(B) the primary practice areas of the justice or judge before appointment, including the percentage of the justice's or judge's pre- appointment career spent as a trial lawyer;
(E) if applicable, ratings of the judge by law enforcement officers, attorneys, court system employees, and jurors;
(C) the types of clients the justice or judge represented before appointment;
(F) the number of decisions by the judge that were reviewed and disposed of by a written decision of an appellate court and the percentage of issues in those decisions that were affirmed by the appellate court;
(D) pro bono work performed by the justice or judge before appointment;
(G) a description of any public disciplinary proceedings against the judge;
(E) elected offices held by the justice or judge;
(H) a self-assessment by the judge, not to exceed 250 words, evaluating the judge's judicial performance;
(F) political party offices held by the justice or judge;
a self-assessment under this subparagraph may include comments on the judge's satisfaction with the judge's judicial role, specific contributions to the judiciary or the field of CSSB 129(JUD) -2- SB0129B New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 32-LS0751\N law, growth in legal knowledge and judicial skills, or other measures of judicial abilities that the judge believes to be important;
(G) organizations in which the justice or judge is a current member;
(2) for a supreme court justice or court of appeals judge subject to retention, the information required under (1)(A) - (E), (G), and (H) of this subsection;
and (H) clients and employers of members of the justice's or judge's household.
(3) for a justice or judge standing retention for the fii e, a description of (A) previous political and governmental positions held by the justice or judge, including any political office held;
[A STATEMENT MAY NOT EXCEED 600 WORDS.] SB 129 -2- SB0129A New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
(B) the justice's or judge's primary practice areas before appointment, including the approximate percentage of the justice's or judge's pre-appointment career spent as a trial lawyer;
(C) the types of clients the justice or judge represented before appointment [SHALL CONTAIN A BRIEF STATEMENT DESCRIBING EACH PUBLIC REPRIMAND, PUBLIC CENSURE, OR SUSPENSION RECEIVED BY THE JUDGE UNDER AS 22.30.011(d) DURING THE PERIOD COVERED IN THE EVALUATION.
A STATEMENT MAY NOT EXCEED 600 WORDS].
SB0129B -3- CSSB 129(JUD) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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Action History

  1. (S) REFERRED TO RULES

  2. (S) FN2: ZERO(AJS)

  3. (S) FN1: ZERO(GOV)

  4. (S) DP: SHOWER, HOLLAND, COSTELLO

  5. (S) STA RPT CS(JUD) 3DP NEW TITLE

  6. (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  7. (S) Moved CSSB 129(JUD) Out of Committee

  8. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  9. (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  10. (S) <Bill Hearing Rescheduled to 03/24/22>

  11. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  12. (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  13. (S) Heard & Held

  14. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  15. (S) <Bill Hearing Canceled> -- MEETING CANCELED --

  16. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  17. (S) FN2: ZERO(AJS)

  18. (S) FN1: ZERO(GOV)

  19. (S) AM: HUGHES

  20. (S) NR: SHOWER, KIEHL

  21. (S) DP: HOLLAND

  22. (S) JUD RPT CS 1DP 2NR 1AM NEW TITLE

  23. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  24. (S) Moved CSSB 129(JUD) Out of Committee

  25. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  26. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  27. (S) Heard & Held

  28. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  29. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  30. (S) Heard & Held

  31. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  32. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  33. (S) Scheduled but Not Heard

  34. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  35. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  36. (S) Heard & Held

  37. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  38. (S) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --

  39. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  40. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  41. (S) Scheduled but Not Heard

  42. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  43. (S) Minutes (SJUD)

  44. (S) Heard & Held

  45. (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  46. (S) JUD, STA

  47. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 64 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (64)

64 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 64 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

elections
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 129?
SB 129 is sponsored by Robert Myers (R).
What is the current status of SB 129?
This bill died with 32nd Legislature (2021-2022). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 129?
Track SB 129 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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