STAND. COM. REP. NO. 521

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 20
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 20 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase judicial salaries by
four percent effective July 1, 1999, and by an additional four
percent effective July 1, 2000.

     Testimony in support of this bill was received from the
Judiciary, American Judicature Society, Hawaii State Bar
Association, Hawaii Women Lawyers, United Public Workers, and
several private citizens.  Additional testimony was received from
Common Cause Hawaii, favoring increasing judicial salaries only
if pension benefits are also amended accordingly.

     Hawaii's judges have not had an increase in salary since
1990.  Your Committee finds that adequate compensation is
required to attract and retain experienced and qualified
attorneys to serve as justices and judges in state courts.
Although public service and sacrifice are to be expected,
Hawaii's judges also deserve to be compensated in an equitable
manner.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 521
                                 Page 2

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Increasing judicial salaries by 27 percent: a 14
          percent increase effective July 1, 1999, followed by an
          additional 13 percent increase effective July 1, 2000;

     (2)  Eliminating the early retirement provision for judges,
          including the provision allowing judges to retire
          whenever the member's allowance reaches 75 percent of
          the member's average final compensation;

     (3)  Ensuring that changes to the early retirement provision
          will not adversely affect the accrued rights of current
          judges as of June 30, 1999, and individuals who are or
          were members of the Employees' Retirement System and
          who accrued benefits as judges before July 1, 1999; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 20, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 20,
H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   PAUL T. OSHIRO, Chair