SCR36

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	36
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

RELATING TO THE SALARIES of CERTAIN STATE OFFICIALS.

WHEREAS, Article XVI Section 3.5, The Constitution of the State of Hawaii (“Constitution”) creates a Salary Commission (“Commission”)to review and recommend salaries for the governor, the lieutenant governor, department heads of the executive departments, members of the legislature, justices and judges of all state courts; and

WHEREAS, under the Constitution, the Commission is required to make a decision by the fortieth legislative day of the 2007 regular session and every six years thereafter and shall submit its recommendations to the legislature; and

WHEREAS, since 2006, the Commission has met, and submitted recommendations to the legislature in 2007, 2013, and 2019 respectively; and

WHEREAS, Section 26-56, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended provides further guidance on the recommendations of the Commission; and

WHEREAS, the salaries recommended by the Commission shall become effective on July 1 of the next fiscal year unless disapproved by the legislature by adoption of a concurrent resolution approved by a simple majority in each house of the legislature prior to adjournment sine die of the legislative session in which the recommended salaries are submitted; and

WHEREAS, if the Commission’s recommendations are disapproved by the legislature, the commission shall reconvene in November next following the legislature’s disapproval to review the reasons for disapproving its salary recommendations; and

WHEREAS, the Commission, if reconvened after a disapproval of their recommendations, may submit a report of its findings and submit a new salary recommendation to the legislature at the next regular session; and

WHEREAS, the Commission’s reconvening following a legislative disapproval shall not toll the six-year cycle; and

WHEREAS, the 2025 Commission on Salaries issued its Report and Recommendations to the 2025 Legislature on March 4, 2025 to increase the salaries and adjust the salary schedules for certain State officials; and

WHEREAS, the State Legislature wishes to express its appreciation for the work of the 2025 Commission on Salaries, but concludes that the salary increases and salary adjustments recommended by the 2025 Commission on Salaries are excessive in light of current economic conditions in the State of Hawaii and should be rejected; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, by a simple majority of its entire membership, disapproves the recommendation of the 2025 Commission on Salaries and the salary and salary schedule increases recommended therein; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission shall reconvene no later than November 2025 to review the reasons for the legislatures disapproval, submit a report of its findings, and submit a new salary recommendation to the legislature in the 2026 legislative session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Justice of the Judiciary, The Senate President, The Speaker of the House, and the Chair of the 2025 Commission on Salaries.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

REJECTING THE 2025 COMMISSION ON SALARIES RECOMMENDATIONS

SCR 36: RELATING TO THE SALARIES OF CERTAIN STATE OFFICIALS.

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