Senate panel passes salary increase for judges

BOISE – State judges would get a 6 percent pay raise starting July 1 under a bill that passed the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee on Monday.

The bill provides an additional 3 percent salary increase on top of another measure that gives state employees — including judges — 3 percent raises.

Patti Tobias, spokeswoman for the Idaho Supreme Court, said lower salaries make recruiting and retaining quality judges more difficult.

“Idaho judges are paid far less than those with similar experience in the public sector,” she said.

Idaho ranks 49th in pay for its Supreme Court justices, according to the National Center for State Courts.

With the raises, Supreme Court justices would make $110,500 a year and District Court judges would make about $103,600.

Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Declo and chairman of the Judiciary and Rules Committee, said he hoped to give the 6 percent raises every year for four years, but the House voted to review salaries annually.

He said the raises have been approved by Senate leadership and should soon pass the Senate and go to the governor’s desk for final approval.

The proposal has already passed the House.