Did Hawaii Do Enough To Fix Public Pensions?

Nanea Kalani/Civil Beat

A national public pensions expert says the changes Hawaii lawmakers approved for new state and county employees are in line with what other states are doing to reduce their pension liability.

Starting next summer, new hires will have to work longer to earn the same retirement benefits, chip in more toward their plans and receive smaller pensions. Existing employees and current retirees will not be impacted.

In an op-ed for Civil Beat, House Speaker Calvin Say referred to the new pension rules as "the most important measure passed by the 2011 Legislature" in his view. He said it "represents a significant pivot point in the future of Hawaii" and will help Hawaii avoid public employee pension crises such as those in California and other states.

Ron Snell, a senior fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures, says that while the changes aren't radical, he agrees they represent a move in the right direction. Snell, who tracks pension-related legislation for the organization, said other states have made similar changes to their public pension funds this year, and, in some cases, Hawaii has gone further than other states.

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