In the News Today – May 11, 2017

Pennsylvania Considers New Approach to Merit Selection: The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee has approved a measure to ask voters whether the state constitution should be amended to get rid of direct election of statewide judges. Instead, potential judges would be vetted by a special commission. The governor would then nominate his choice of judge from that commission’s list of qualified candidates. The governor’s choice would also have to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the state Senate. (Pennsylvania Daily Item)