Report Title:

DHRD Study; State Attorney Compensation

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii employs licensed attorneys for numerous positions in many different departments and offices of state government; and

WHEREAS, the compensation received by these attorneys varies greatly between different departments and offices and can also vary widely within the same department or office; and

WHEREAS, while some of the variance in compensation may be attributable to job description and responsibilities, there are situations where state attorneys with high levels of responsibility and oversight receive less compensation than other state attorneys with less responsibility; and

WHEREAS, the State has a significant interest in retaining and attracting qualified candidates to serve in each position that requires a licensed attorney; and

WHEREAS, to accomplish this, the State must ensure that attorneys who work for the State are compensated fairly; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that there should be a fair and consistent uniform method of compensation for attorneys employed by the State; and

WHEREAS, a study reviewing the amounts, including both salary and bonuses, state attorneys are paid, their department or office, their job description and responsibilities, and their years of service would assist in pointing out disparities in compensation or in demonstrating that no disparities exist; and

WHEREAS, a study reviewing compensation amounts could illustrate positions that would benefit from salary increases to ensure continued effective and adequate representation; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to review the issue of compensation for attorneys employed by the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to include the method and amounts, including both salary and bonuses, that state attorneys are paid, their department or office, their job description and responsibilities, and their years of service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting this review, the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to obtain input from state departments and offices to determine which positions within each department and office shall be included in the study; provided however, that every position that requires a law degree as a requirement for employment shall be included and any position that does not require a law degree as a requirement for employment but where there is a significant benefit from the employee being a licensed attorney may be included; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to report their findings and recommendations on the presence and type of compensation disparity and any recommendations to the Legislature twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; the Department of Human Resources Development; the Department of Accounting and General Services; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of the Attorney General; the Department of Budget and Finance; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; the Department of Defense; the Department of Education; the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; the Department of Health; the Department of Human Services; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; the Department of Land and Natural Resources; the Department of Public Safety; the Department of Taxation; the Department of Transportation; the University of Hawaii; the Judiciary; the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; the Legislative Reference Bureau; the House Majority Office; the House Minority Office; the Senate Majority Office; the Senate Minority Office; and the Hawaii State Bar Association.