House moves JNC bill.

A bill that does away with the Bar's appointments to judicial nominating commissions and gives the governor the power to select all nine members of each JNC passed the full House March 22.

Bar President Herman Russomanno said the measure would set the state back 30 years in the way it selects judges and would reintroduce party politics into the selection process.

The first to speak against the bill on the House floor was Rep. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, who has been a lawyer for 32 years and served on a JNC.

"I oppose a scheme that would put one person in control of the judicial selection process," Joyner said. "I oppose a proposal that guarantees our judges are selected in the most partisan manner possible. I oppose this bill, my fellow colleagues, because I remember what it was like before we created a system that sought to reduce partisanship and take our judges out of the spoils system.... Don't take us back. I've been there. And it's no place that you want to be."

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Fred Brummer, R-Apopka, however, said judicial selection is an executive function, and the governor's role should not be limited by giving the Bar some of the appointments. Brummer also said CS/HE 367 - which passed by a vote of 65 - 50 would make the process more accountable since the governor is directly elected by the people, and the Bar's Board of Governors is not.

Under current law, the Bar selects three members, the governor selects three, and then those six select three more to fill each of the state's 26 JNCs. The Brummer bill would allow the governor to make all nine appointments to each commission, but would require that five of the governor's appointments be lawyers. The terms of each JNC member also would expire with the governor who appointed them.

Rep. Jack Seller, D-Ft. Lauderdale, said couching this bill as a way to bring diversity into the process is disingenuous, because 47 percent of the 234 JNC members statewide now are made up of women and minorities.

Seiler also said laymembers now have a leadership role in the JNC process, even chairing two commissions.

"I submit to you that this is going to be a very dangerous bill," Seller said. "This bill serves as an attack on the independence of our judiciary, an attack on our bench and an attack on our Bar."

House Majority Leader Mike Fasano, RNew Port Richey, spoke in favor of the bill that would dilute the role of the Bar in nominating judges.

"At least when the governor, whomever it may...