Topeka ? Lawrence’s two state senators are on opposites sides of a proposal to require Senate confirmation of Kansas Supreme Court justices.

Sen. Marci Francisco, a Democrat, opposes the measure, and Sen. Roger Pine, a Republican, favors it.

Currently, governors select justices to the court from a group of three nominees from a screening commission.

Under a proposal by Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, and Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, nominees to the court would have to be confirmed by the Senate. Such a change would require a constitutional amendment.

Pine said he supports the proposal because it is consistent with the process of how justices are selected to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Francisco said she opposed the amendment because it would add political overtones to the selection process. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, also a Democrat, opposes the Schmidt-Wagle amendment.

Schmidt and Wagle said upon introducing their measure that they were disappointed by recent state Supreme Court decisions that overturned Kansas’ death penalty and declared the state school finance system unconstitutional.