Judges, Medicaid dominate discussions at local legislative listening posts

By: 
Robert Maharry

State Representative Pat Grassley and State Senator Annette Sweeney fielded a host of questions related to a proposed change in the judicial nominating process and discussed suggestions for strengthening the privatized Medicaid system during listening posts at the Beaman and Conrad public libraries last Friday morning.
           
Paul Thompson, a retired juvenile court officer who lives in Conrad, kicked it off by praising the current system for choosing judges, which has been in place since 1962, and wondering why any change was necessary. A Republican proposal aims to give Governor Kim Reynolds and the legislature more control over the process— as it now stands, a panel of attorneys submits recommendations to the governor for final approval.
           
“I’m just wondering where that came from, because when we just had elections, I didn’t hear anybody say anything about how we ought to change the way we select judges. Nobody was running (on that) or even said anything about that,” Thompson said. “So, I guess my question is, what about that?”
           
Grassley and Sweeney, both Republicans, responded that the full details are still emerging as the bill goes through committee markups, and Grassley opined that the low participation rates among rural attorneys in the nominating process is concerning to him. He added that whether it’s directly acknowledged or not, politics already plays a role.
           
“If we’re trying to remedy that situation, I think that needs to be part of the conversation,” Grassley said. “I think we’re listening and trying to take input, and I don’t think the final bill will be as expansive as the current one is.” 
 
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