Commission on Judicial Performance.

The California Constitution establishes the Commission on Judicial Performance and authorizes the commission to disqualify, suspend, retire, or censure a judge for specified acts of misconduct or for disability that seriously interferes with the performance of the judge's duties or that is, or is likely to become, permanent. The California Constitution requires the commission to make rules for the investigation of judges and authorizes the commission to provide for the confidentiality of complaints to, and investigations by, the commission. Existing statutory law also governs procedures for the conduct of these investigations. This bill would specifically require the commission to take all reasonable steps to determine the existence or extent of alleged judicial misconduct in order to protect the public, enforce rigorous standards of judicial conduct, and maintain public confidence in the integrity and independence of the judicial system. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes to use gender-neutral language. The bill would also create in state government the Committee to Review the Operations and Structure of the Commission on Judicial Performance to study and make recommendations for changes in the operations and structure of the commission, as specified. The bill would set forth the membership of the committee and require the committee to hold at least 2 hearings to accept comments from the public about possible changes in the operations and structure of the commission. The bill would require the committee to complete its study and provide a written report about its findings and recommendations no later than March 30, 2022, to the Governor, the commission, and the California Supreme Court, among other entities, and to make the report public. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.