The Missouri House earlier today approved on a 84-71 vote SJR 51. As previously noted, the constitutional amendment would:

• Increase the number of individuals that the Appellate Judicial Commission nominates for vacancies in the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals from three to four
• Replace the Supreme Court member who currently serves as commission chair with additional person chosen by Governor
• Allows Supreme Court to appoint a former Supreme Court or Court of Appeals judge to serve as a nonvoting member of the commission if the former judge has not been removed for cause or failed to be retained in a retention election
• Provides members appointed by the Governor no longer must be non-bar members
• Provides appointed members will serve terms of four years, staggered so that a Governor will appoint two when taking office and two during the middle of his or her term.

The proposal now goes to the voters in November 2012 unless the governor puts it on earlier ballot.

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