STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1011

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 20
                                     H.D. 2




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
20, H.D. 1, entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Increase judicial salaries by 14 percent effective July
          1, 1999, and by an additional 13 percent effective July
          1, 2000;

     (2)  Eliminate 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; and

     (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.

     The Judiciary, the Hawaii Government Employees Association,
the United Public Workers, Common Cause Hawaii, the Hawaii State
Bar Association, the American Judicature Society, Hawaii Women
Lawyers, and members of the public testified in support of this
bill.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1011
                                 Page 2

 
of the intent of this bill.  The Employees' Retirement System and
members of the public commented on the bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Blanking out specific salary amounts for discussion
          purposes; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes
          of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
20, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 20, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair