The state Senate Judiciary Committee is considering Gov. Linda Lingle’s nomination of Mark Recktenwald to be the next chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.

The panel began its deliberations today with a hearing at the state Capitol.

Recktenwald, who now is an associate justice on the court, was tapped by Lingle on Aug. 13. That was a week after the Senate voted down her first chief justice nominee, state appeals court Judge Katherine Leonard.

The Hawaii Bar Association, which rated Leonard as unqualified for the post, has since graded Recktenwald as qualified.

The current chief justice, Ronald Moon, by law must resign before Sept. 4, when he turns 70.