House panel approves 2% pay raise for judges, first in four years

The House Judiciary Committee has voted to approve a 2 percent pay increase next year for Idaho’s judges and high court justices, the same amount set for state employees and the state’s full-time commissioners, and the judges’ first pay raise in four years. Supreme Court justices’ salaries would rise from $119,506 to $121,900.

Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, moved to kill the bill, saying, “Frankly us in the Legislature, we’ve turned our salary commitment back, and I’d like to see more example like this.” Actually, lawmakers’ salaries are set by a citizen committee, though in 2009-10, lawmakers rejected the committee’s proposed increase; the committee hasn’t proposed increases since then, and lawmakers’ annual salaries remain at $16,116.

Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said, “I hate to stick up for lawyers, but since the judges come out of the lawyering profession, if we want to attract the best judges possible, I think we need to pay a little more. I think we get what we pay for, and I think it’ll be money well-spent.”

Nielsen’s motion was killed on a 3-10 vote, with just Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d’Alene, and acting Rep. James McMillan, filling in for his mother, Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, backing it. The original motion to approve the bill and send it to the full House with a recommendation that it “do pass” then passed on a voice vote.

Patti Tobias, administrative director of the state’s court system, told the committee the money for the raises already is allocated in the budget set by JFAC for the judicial branch. “Separate legislative action, however, is required for justices and judges to receive an increase,” she said. “There are no cost-of-living increases, bonuses, salary incentives etc. unless you provide it by legislation.” She added, “The Idaho courts have seen a significant increase in the most complicated, resource-intensive cases, a 30 percent increase in complex civil, medical and business disputes over the last five years. Across the board, the cases being filed are increasingly complex and adversarial. Despite these trends, the vast majority of cases are being heard within established time standards.”

The bill, HB 651, now moves to the full House.