Nominating Commission (JNC)- making all members Palauan citizens.
Senate Joint Resolution No. 7-102, SD1, HD1 proposes an amendment to the Constitution to require all members of the JNC to be Palauan citizens.
Presently the commission is made up of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and three members of the bar are appointed by the Palau Bar Association and three citizens are appointed by the president.
The House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Affairs chaired by Delegate Sabino Anastacio in endorsing the passage of the resolution said that the commission “exercise a powerful duty to nominate the justices and judges of the Palau Supreme Court. Members who are evaluating applications for the prestigious and honorable positions should have a full understanding of the Palauan history, culture and the intersection of Palauan laws with traditional practices.”
The committee said that when the Constitution was adopted , there was a limited number of Palauan citizens who were members of the Palau Bar Association because there is no law school located in Palau.
It added that now that there are more Palauans having access to higher education and have graduated from law school and has become active members of the bar, there are now many who can serve in the commission.
