Republican legislators are looking at potentially adding justices to the Utah Supreme Court and making it harder for all judges to keep their jobs by raising the bar in retention elections.

The lion sculpture named Fortitude is pictured at the east entrance to the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. A top Republican lawmaker has begun working on a bill to "explore" the possibility of adding justices to the Utah Supreme Court citing the growing population of the Beehive State. (Brice Tucker, Deseret News)

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state. Republican legislators are looking at potentially adding justices to the Utah Supreme Court and making it harder for all judges to keep their jobs by raising the bar in retention

The House Majority Leader has requested a bill to increase the number of members serving on the Utah Supreme Court.

A newly opened bill could pave the way for Utah’s Supreme Court to expand. The bill file is titled “Judicial Officer Modifications,” and was opened Wednesday by House Majority Leader Rep. Jefferson Moss (R-Saratoga Springs).