STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS31672 / S1436
Low rates of judicial compensation continue to exacerbate the Judicial Branch’s growing recruitment
problem. Pay for Idaho’s judges not only ranks near dead-last nationally, but also now fails to compete with
the compensation of other Idaho public sector attorneys. In order to address this serious issue and ensure
experienced, high-quality candidates apply for judicial service, this bill seeks to: (1) significantly increase
salaries for all judicial positions over a four (4) year span, and (2) create a Citizens’ Committee on Judicial
Compensation to establish future judicial salaries. Specifically, this proposal will amend I.C. § 59-502 to
increase the salary of supreme court justices by 10% in 2025 and revise the pay differentials between judicial
positions to a percentage basis in order to avoid future compression. Accordingly, the corresponding 2025
increases will be 9.8% for court of appeals judges, 8.2% for district judges, and 7.9% for magistrate judges.
Thereafter, each judicial position will receive an additional 5% salary increase in 2026, 2027, and 2028. In
2022, a pay increase for Idaho’s judges was tied to a policy proposal to revise the judicial selection process.
That proposal failed to become law, and as a result, Idaho’s judges were the only state employees not to
receive an increase in compensation. Similarly, judicial CEC has been tied to a policy proposal this year. In
order to separate the question of judicial compensation from political considerations, and in an effort to allow
a more thorough assessment of the need for future increases in judicial salaries, this bill also seeks to create
a Citizens’ Committee on Judicial Compensation. This Committee is modeled specifically after the Citizens’
Committee on Legislative Compensation established in I.C. § 67-406a, and it will consist of three (3) citizen
members appointed by the Governor and three (3) citizen members appointed by agreement of the Pro Tem
and Speaker. The Committee will establish the salaries for all of Idaho’s judicial officers every two (2) years
beginning July 1, 2029, and the salaries set by the Committee will be subject to legislative review and veto.
FISCAL NOTE
The total annual fiscal impact for this increase in salary and associated benefits, which are paid from the general
fund, will be $2,662,486 for FY26, $1,740,501 for FY27, $1,789,872 for FY28 and $1,879,365 for FY29.
Contact:
Jason Slade Spilllman, Legal Counsel
Administrative Office of the Courts
(208) 334-2246
DISCLAIMER: This statement of purpose and fiscal note are a mere attachment to this bill and prepared by a proponent
of the bill. It is neither intended as an expression of legislative intent nor intended for any use outside of the legislative
process, including judicial review (Joint Rule 18).
Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Note Bill SOP/FN INTRODUCED: 03/20/2024, 2:40 PM


Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 59-502