Bill Summary: S. 10 - Judicial Compensation Commission

• Establishes a special commission on judicial compensation to be created every four years beginning April 1, 2011, to examine and recommend adequate compensation levels for judges and justices of New York's unified court system and housing judges of the Civil Court of New York City.

• Commission consists of 7 members appointed by the governor (3), temporary president of the senate (1), speaker of the assembly (1), and chief judge (2), with majority non-state employees and at least half non-lawyers; governor designates the chair.

• Commission shall consider factors including economic climate, inflation, public-sector spending, comparable compensation in other states and federal government, and the state's funding capacity when making recommendations.

• Commission recommendations regarding salary adjustments have the force of law and supersede conflicting provisions of judiciary law unless modified by statute before April 1st of the applicable year; commission must report findings within 150 days of establishment.

• Salary increases resulting from the bill's provisions take effect at the start of the nearest payroll period to the effective date and are rounded up to the nearest hundred dollars.