STAND. COM. REP. NO.1424

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.C.R. No. 116

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 116 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO STUDY COMPENSATION OF LICENSED ATTORNEYS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request that the Department of Human Resources Development study whether licensed attorneys employed by the State of Hawaii are being fairly and adequately compensated.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Attorney General, the Chairperson and the Executive Director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the study requested is 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. In conducting the review, the Department of Human Resources Development is to obtain input from state agencies to determine which positions within each agency is to be included in the study; provided that every position that requires a law degree for employment is included, and any position that does not require a law degree but where a significant benefit exists from the employee being a licensed attorney may be included.

Your Committee finds that the State of Hawaii employs licensed attorneys for numerous positions in many different departments and offices of state government. Your Committee also finds that the compensation received by these attorneys varies greatly between different departments and offices and can also vary widely within the same department or office. 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.

In light of these findings, your Committee believes that there should be a fair and consistent uniform method of compensation for attorneys employed by the State. To this end, 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.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 116 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

BOB NAKATA, Chair