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This bill originally made the judicial nominating commission's screening process mandatory but gave the governor discretion to appoint someone other than the commission's top candidates. The substitute goes further: it makes the entire nominating commission process optional, so the governor could choose to request a list of nominees from a commission when filling a judicial vacancy, or could skip that step altogether. Both versions are contingent on Utah voters approving a related constitutional amendment. If enacted, this measure would eliminate the current requirement that the governor fill a vacancy within 30 days after receiving a commission's list, remove the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court's authority to step in and make the appointment if the governor misses that deadline, and allow the governor to appoint any qualified individual to a judgeship regardless of whether that person applied through, or was recommended by, a nominating commission.