An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in selection, retention and removal of judicial officers, further providing for vacancies in office.

PRINTER'S NO. 1383
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1134
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY L. WILLIAMS, A. WILLIAMS, COLLETT, MUTH, HAYWOOD
AND KEARNEY, JANUARY 9, 2026
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JANUARY 9, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in selection, retention
and removal of judicial officers, further providing for
vacancies in office.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 3132(a) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding a subsection to read:
§ 3132. Vacancies in office.
(a) [General rule] Procedure.--
(1) Except as provided in [subsection] subsections (a.1)
and (b), a vacancy in the office of judge or magisterial
district judge shall be filled by appointment by the Governor
following the required period of public comment as provided
in subsection (a.1). The appointment shall be with the advice
and consent of two-thirds of the members elected to the
Senate, except in the case of magisterial district judges
which shall be by a majority.
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(2) Prior to voting on the confirmation of any nominee
for appointment to the Supreme Court, Superior Court,
Commonwealth Court, a court of common pleas or a magisterial
district judge, a public, broadcasted confirmation hearing
shall be conducted in which equal time is reserved for
questions from the majority and the minority members of the
designated committee to which the nomination has been
referred.
(3) The person so appointed shall serve for a term
ending on the first Monday of January following the next
municipal election more than ten months after the vacancy
occurs or for the remainder of the unexpired term whichever
is less.
(a.1) Judicial vacancies public comment period.--
(1) Upon the occurrence of a vacancy under subsection
(a), the Governor shall direct the Office of General Counsel
to solicit applications for the vacancy for a period of not
less than 30 days.
(2) Following the application period, the Office of
General Counsel shall publish on a publicly accessible
Internet website the application materials of each applicant,
which shall include a current statement of financial
interests for the applicant that satisfies 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105
(relating to statement of financial interests), redacting
personal information as defined by section 708(b)(6)(i) of
the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the
Right-to-Know Law, for a period of not less than 30 days
during which time the Governor shall refrain from making an
appointment. Public comment received during this period shall
be furnished to the chairperson and minority chairperson of
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the designated committee to which the nomination has been
referred.
(3) Thereafter, the Governor shall submit to the Senate
a nominee for the advice and consent of the Senate from among
the applicants under paragraph (1).
(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
limit the authority of the Governor to exercise personal
judgment in appointing a person to the office of justice,
judge or magisterial district judge or to limit further
review of applicants by the Office of General Counsel.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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