The issue of suspending pay raises for the governor, governor’s Cabinet, judges and legislators now goes to a Senate and House conference committee after all Democratic and Republican members of the state House voted Tuesday to defer pay raises of 10% for themselves that would go into effect July 1.
The vote on the House floor would amend Senate Bill 1350 and also suspend raises for the governor, governor’s Cabinet and judges that were recommended by the state Commission on Salaries in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and while Hawaii enjoyed record tourism numbers.
The amendment received unanimous support from both political parties, but two House members were absent.
Last year the Legislature passed a bill that deferred increasing their salaries to $68,868 from $62,604 during Hawaii’s COVID-19 economic crisis.
The House speaker and Senate president each earn additional pay of $7,500.
In 2019 the state Commission on Salaries recommended legislative pay raises of 10% followed by raises of 2.5% in the subsequent three years.
The commission also recommended salary increases of:
>> 4% for the governor
effective July 1, 2019, and again on July 1, 2020.
>> 5% for the governor’s department heads for the same years.
>> $2,000 raises for justices and judges effective July 1, 2019; July 1, 2020; July 1, 2021; July 1, 2022;
and July 1, 2023.
>> 10% raises for all state senators and representatives effective January 2021.
>> 2.5% additional raises for all state senators and representatives effective Jan. 1, 2022; Jan. 1, 2023;
and Jan. 1, 2024.
After the House voted on the amendment Tuesday, Gov. David Ige said in a statement that he supported suspending raises for himself, his Cabinet, judges and legislators.
