Ramsey proposal moving thru senate

Andy Sher is reporting Bill changing Supreme Court selections approved by senate committee. From the article:

The bill does away with the existing system of Supreme Court justice selection and election in which would-be candidates are screened by the Judicial Selection Commission and the names of three candidates are forwarded to the governor, who appoints one. Voters later vote “yes” or “no” in the next statewide election on whether to retain the justices.

The bill eliminates the 17-member Judicial Selection Commission. Critics, including Sen. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland, have attacked the panel and the entire retention election system, known as the Tennessee Plan, as being unconstitutional, although it has been upheld twice by two specially appointed state Supreme Courts.

Under an amendment offered by Sen. Bunch, governors could appoint anyone they wish to vacancies. Supreme Court justices would have regular elections in 2014 while presumably, a proposed constitutional amendment enshrining the Tennessee Plan would go before voters.