House passes bill
to raise judges’ pay, alter retirement
The 27 percent pay increase
By Craig Gima
would be the first in nine years
Star-Bulletin
State judges would get a 27 percent pay raise over the next two years, and new judges would not be able to collect retirement benefits until after age 55, under a bill that passed the House Judiciary Committee.
The increases would raise the annual salary for the chief justice from $93,780 to $120,370 on July 1, 2000. A Circuit judge would make $110,210 and a District judge's pay would go up to $103,860.
Hawaii is the only state that has not given judges a pay raise in the last nine years. Chief Justice Ronald Moon has told the Legislature that the lack of a pay raise is a reason many experienced judges are leaving the bench.
House Judiciary Chairman Paul Oshiro (D, Ewa Beach) said the proposed salary increases follow the recommendation of a commission that studied judicial salaries, although they are not retroactive.
Gov. Ben Cayetano vetoed a pay raise for judges two years ago because a bill then did not address retirement benefits. The governor said the benefits encourage judges to leave because they can accumulate a higher percentage of their salaries quicker than other state workers, and can collect their retirement pay after 10 years regardless of age.
The changes to the retirement plan under the House bill would affect judges who take the bench after June 30, and would not change the higher 3.5 multiplier that is used in determining a judge's retirement pay.
A Senate bill would give judges retroactive pay, but two Senate committees yesterday deferred a decision until next week.
Senate Judiciary Co-Chairman Avery Chumbley (D, Kihei) said senators have concerns about the retroactive increase. The Senate bill also would set the retirement age for new judges at 55 and keep the 3.5 percent multiplier.
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