Sponsored by:
Assemblyman LARRY WAINSTEIN
District 33 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Provides for annual adjustments to compensation for certain justices and judges based on change in CPI.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning cost of living adjustments for certain justices and judges and amending N.J.S.2B:2-4.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:2-4 is amended to read as follows:
2B:2-4. Judicial Salaries.
Annual salaries of justices and judges beginning on January 1, 2024 and thereafter shall be:
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court $234,191.95
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court $226,292.11
Presiding Judge of the Superior Court,
Appellate Division $218,545.82
Judge of the Superior Court,
Appellate Division $215,545.82
Judge of the Superior Court,
Assignment Judge $211,437.65
Presiding Judge of the Superior Court;
Presiding Judge of the Tax Court $207,166.50
Judge of the Superior Court;
Judge of the Tax Court $204,166.50
Beginning on January 1, 2025, and on January 1 of each year [for two years] thereafter, the amount of the annual salary determined for the prior calendar year shall be adjusted annually by the State Treasurer in direct proportion to the percent change in the Consumer Price Index over a 12-month period beginning November 1 and ending October 31. For the purpose of this section, "Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island Metropolitan Area, All Items (1982-84=100), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States Department of Labor. The State Treasurer shall determine the amount of the adjustment by December 1 of each year and the adjustment shall become effective for payments to be made during the calendar year following the determination, beginning with payments made on or after January 1 of each calendar year. An adjustment in the annual payment shall be made only if the percent change in the Consumer Price Index for the period specified is greater than zero. Such an annual adjustment shall in no event be greater than 2 percent. If the reference base of the index is changed, the index used to determine the Consumer Price Index shall be the index converted to the new base by standard statistical methods. The first adjustment determination shall be made by December 1, 2024 and applicable to payments commencing on January 1, 2025. [The final adjustment shall be made on December 1, 2026 and be applicable for payments commencing on January 1, 2027. No further adjustments shall be made thereafter.]
(cf: P.L.2024, c.56, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, the amount of the annual salary for Superior Court judges and justices of the State Supreme Court is determined the prior calendar year and adjusted annually by the State Treasurer in direct proportion to the percent change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). An adjustment is made only if the percent change in the CPI for the period specified is greater than zero and at no time is the annual adjustment greater than two percent.
This bill permits future adjustments based upon the CPI to continue by eliminating the provision of existing law prohibiting further adjustments after December 1, 2026, with payments commencing January 1, 2027. The removal of this provision provides for future scheduled adjustments to the compensation of Superior Court judges and justices of the State Supreme Court based upon the CPI as determined by the State Treasurer.