NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A proposal to overhaul the state's method of selecting appellate court candidates has stalled in the Senate.

Former Lt. Gov. John Wilder, a Mason Democrat and sponsor of the bill, asked the Government Operations Committee on Tuesday to place the measure in a holding committee because he didn't feel he had the votes to pass it out.

The bill could be called back up, but Wilder says he doesn't plan to unless he's certain it will pass.

The Judicial Selection Commission is responsible for reviewing applicants and presenting the governor with three-person slates to choose from.

If the Legislature approves no changes to the Judicial Selection Commission this year, the pressure will be on to reach some sort of agreement next year, when the Tennessee Plan for selecting judges is set to expire.

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