Senate and House moving in opposite directions on Judicial Selection

("Norris Proposes Constitutional Convention on Judges" | Humphrey on the Hill | knoxnews.com):

Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris won committee approval Wednesday of a plan for selecting top state judges and also proposed that a constitutional convention be held to resolve matter.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, on a 5-3 vote, approved SB2114 after amending the measure to eliminate a provision that would have required state Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee to face a contested election next year.

. . . .

Left sitting in the committee were other proposals, including one offered by Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, who had attempted last week to forge a compromise.

Democrats had indicated they preferred Overbey's plan over the Norris version. Beavers, on the other hand, declared she views the Norris bill as unconstitutional, just as she views the current system. But Beavers did indicate an interest in having a constitutional convention on the matter.

Also, from the Nashville Post:

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a plan backed by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey that would create a new commission to recommend potential jurists to the governor.

The plan went through minor changes from the version that was submitted on Tuesday. Changes include limiting to 10 the number of attorney members of the 17-member Judicial Nominating Commission, making every aspect of the nominating process public, and preventing employers of lobbyists and lobbyists from serving on the nominating commission.

State Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville) sponsored the legislation that is now making its way to the Senate Government Operations Committee. In presenting the bill to that committee, Norris said the support he heard in the judiciary committee has him planning to introduce an amendment to call for a constitutional convention specifically addressing how judges are selected in Tennessee.