County officials would appoint replacements for vacant county offices

A group of officials would appoint a person to fill a vacant county office. For other county offices, the appointing officials would be the probate judge, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney. In a county with an elected county executive, the executive, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney would appoint instead. Judges of the judicial circuit would appoint a county clerk or prosecuting attorney. The appointee must take an oath and provide a bond as required by law. The bill would take effect only if SB 1195 is enacted into law. Usually, the appointee would serve for the rest of the term and until a successor is elected and qualifies. If the vacancy occurs more than seven days before the filing deadline for the November election that would not have filled the vacancy, the appointee would serve only until a successor is elected and qualifies at the next November election.

Elected county officers who resign would file written notice stating the effective date. Other elected county officers would file notice with the presiding or senior probate judge, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney. In a county with an elected county executive, they would file with the executive, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney instead. A county clerk or prosecuting attorney who resigns would file notice with the presiding judge of the judicial circuit. The bill would take effect only if SB 1195 is enacted into law. The notice must state the resignation's effective date; the text gives no filing deadline.