Des Moines Sun

A suggested bill would give Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds an increased amount of control over district judicial nominations. This is staunchly opposed by the governor's opponents, who believe it to be a partisan move. The bill will also change the mandated gender balance of the commission. 

A subcommittee recommended passage of the bill Jan. 24.

“If 'keeping it nonpartisan' is more than a sham at this point, then no, no partisan politician (of either party) should get to appoint more than half the panel,” Iowa state Senate candidate Janice Weiner said in a post to her Twitter account Jan.24.

The bill is believed by some to give the governor and her party a political advantage. This bill pertains to the district judicial nominating commissions. Under the current law, the governor appoints five eligible electors of each judicial district to the 11 member commission. The bill will increase the number of electors chosen by the governor to six.

It is also planned to mandate that there must be a 50/50 gender split between the governor's appointed electors. In the past a "simple majority" of one gender was allowed. Another change made by the bill is that the members from each district will elect their own chair, instead of the most senior member automatically being the chair of the whole committee. 

Applicants will be screened by a judicial nominating commission for issues such as district court judicial vacancies. 

The governor recently appointed Jennifer Benson Bahr as a district court judge. She will serve in Judicial District 4, according to a release from the governor's office. Bahr is from Crescent, Iowa, and was previously a district associate judge for Judicial District 4. 

Bahr also served as assistant attorney for Pottawattamie County and the attorney for Webster and Humboldt County, according to the release. Bahr is a graduate of the University of Iowa.