Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1918, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a commission on salaries to review and recommend the salary of the governor, the members of the legislature, justices and judges of all state courts, the administrative director of the State or an equivalent position, and the department heads or executive officers and the deputies or assistants to the department heads of all state departments.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association and an individual. The Attorney General, the Department of Human Resources Development, and the Judiciary submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that having one commission to review and recommend the salaries for the governor, the members of the legislature, justices and judges of all state courts, the administrative director of the State or an equivalent position, and the department heads or executive officers and the deputies or assistants to the department heads of all state departments will lend fairness and consistency to the process. In addition, your Committee notes that the salary commission should have discretion to allow for graduated salary increases tied to cost of living increases.

Your Committee has amended this measure to:

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. 1918, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1918, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.