SB 285-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/16/06 1423s
2006 SESSION
09/03
SENATE BILL 285-FN
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
This bill equalizes the pay of administrative judges in the judicial branch.
This bill was requested by the supreme court.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/16/06 1423s
06-2401
09/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six
AN ACT equalizing the pay of administrative judges in the judicial branch.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Judicial Salaries. RSA 491-A:1 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
491-A:1 Salaries Established. The salaries for the positions set forth below shall be as follows:
Chief justice, supreme court $137,730
Associate justices, supreme court $133,554
Chief justice, superior court and
administrative judges appointed
pursuant to supreme court rule 54 $133,554
Associate justices, superior court $125,208
District court justices prohibited
from practice pursuant to
RSA 502-A:21 $125,208
Probate judges prohibited from
practice pursuant to RSA 547:2-a $125,208
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 7, 2006 at 12:01 a.m.
LBAO
06-2401
Amended 3/22/06
SB 285 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT equalizing the pay of administrative judges in the judicial branch.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Administrative Office of the Courts determined this bill, as amended by the Senate (Amendment #2006-1423s), will increase state general fund expenditures by $18,279 in FY 2007 and $19,802 in FY 2008 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county and local revenues.
METHODOLOGY:
The Administrative Office of the Courts stated this bill will increase the salary of the administrative judges ($125,208) to the level of the chief justice of the superior court ($133,554) effective July 1, 2007. Using salary figures effective July 7, 2006, and assuming that those figures remain effective for the remainder of the period covered by this fiscal note, the differential between the salary of a trial court judge and that of the chief justice of the superior court is calculated to be $8,346. Increased benefits would be added consisting of an increase in the Medicare contribution of $121 and an increase in the judicial retirement plan contribution of $1,434, making a total cost per administrative judge of $9,901. There are currently two administrative judges, one for the district court and the judicial branch family division and one for the probate court. For purposes of this fiscal note, it is assumed that this bill applies to two judges; however, it should be noted that at some time in the future it could apply to three, if the Supreme Court appoints a separate administrative judge each for the district court and the judicial branch family division. The increased cost for two administrative judges would be $18,279 in FY 2007 because the increased salary will be paid in 24 of 26 pay periods, and $19,802 in FY 2008 and each year thereafter.