Bill Description: House Bill 322 would increase the salaries of Idaho Supreme Court justices and other judges by 10 – 11.5%.

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NOTE: House Bill 322 is related to House bills 189, 188, and 124, all introduced this session and providing for significant judicial raises of varying amounts.

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

House Bill 322 would amend Section 59-502, Idaho Code, to increase the salaries of Idaho Supreme Court justices and other judges.

Under the increases contained in this bill, the salary of Supreme Court justices would increase from $169,508 to $186,508, which is an increase of $17,000 or 10%. 

Because the salaries of other judges are indexed to the salaries of Supreme Court justices, their salaries would increase by the same $17,000, which is an even greater percentage increase. 

The salary for a Court of Appeals judge would increase from $161,508 to $178,508 (10.5%); the salary for a district judge would increase from $155,508 to $172,508 10.9%); and the salary for a magistrate judge would increase from $147,508 to $164,508 (11.5%).

These increases are well beyond the rate of inflation or the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) awarded to other state employees. The bill's fiscal note estimates the cost of these increases to Idaho taxpayers will be $3.9 million per year.

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An additional factor to consider is that judges’ pensions are based on their final salary, not their average salary, or how much they have paid into the state employee retirement system. The larger the salary increase, the larger the pension spikes for judges who retire after the increases take effect.

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