Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s open to changing the nonpartisan way that a commission recommends filling vacancies to the Iowa Supreme Court, a move that would have implications for a wide range of issues including the legality of abortion in the state.

"If there are legislators talking about that, they'll file a bill, they'll go through the process, they'll give Iowans the opportunity to weigh in, so I'll look forward to see what that looks like and we'll follow the process," Reynolds, a Republican, said in answering questions at a news conference Tuesday.

Pressed by reporters on whether she thinks there are problems with the current setup, she said: "I'm open to taking a look at it and this is the process that it'll go through to make that happen."

Iowa's current system is the State Judicial Nominating Commission, a 17-member group that interviews applicants for the Iowa Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The commission determines finalists and the governor makes the final decision from that slate of nominees.

Theoretically, the state could change the makeup of the commission through legislation or through the much longer process of changing the state constitution.

Amid legal challenges to policies and laws aimed at restricting abortion and other issues, lawmakers and conservative groups have talked about whether the selection process should change.

Reynolds signed a law banning most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected —about six weeks into a pregnancy — this year.

The law is not in effect amid a lawsuit that is expected to reach the Iowa Supreme Court. Lawyers for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the Emma Goldman Clinic, which sued over the law, argued in court last week that the law should be struck down.

Earlier this year, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected a 72-hour waiting period for abortions in the state.

How the current process works

The nominating commission's process, known as merit selection, is aimed at minimizing the influence of political parties and special interest groups. The merit selection process was written into the Iowa Constitution through an amendment voters approved in 1962.

Overturning language on the commission in the state constitution would require years of legislative approval and, eventually, voter approval. It's unclear if lawmakers would try to work around that by approving a bill that doesn't propose a constitutional amendment but instead seeks to change the makeup of the nominating committee.

Reynolds said she is reserving additional comment until she sees a formal proposal.

The commission is made up of:

A chair, who is the senior justice of the supreme court other than the chief justice

Eight lawyer commissioners elected by Iowa lawyers

Eight non-lawyer commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate

Every commission member except the chair serves one six-year term. Those terms are staggered.

The Republican-controlled Legislature convenes Jan. 14.