Letter to the editor: Proposed bill would give legislators power over judiciary
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is fast-tracking an attempt to change the Pennsylvania Constitution to establish judicial districts for state appellate courts. Instead of having statewide elections for these judges, we would elect them by regions, drawn by the legislators, giving the General Assembly too much influence over the courts.
This would undermine the checks and balances between the branches that are so important to fair government. This takes away our right to vote for all judges and emphasizes a judge’s location over a judge’s qualifications.
This bill, House Bill 38, is opposed by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Pennsylvania for Modern Courts and other judicial organizations. The bill is weak, with no specifics as to how it would be implemented, no explanation of process or the cost to implement it.
Pennsylvania would be the only state to permit legislators this much power over the judiciary branch of government. This would allow our legislative leaders to gerrymander the judicial district lines to give the party in power an unfair political advantage.
Learn more at www.fairdistricts pa.com and contact your state legislators and ask them to oppose House Bill 38.
Joanne Hall
West Newton
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