Hawaiʻi is about to start paying its lawmakers a lot more money. In some other states that has meant more months in session and full-time work.

When Hawaiʻi state legislators running for reelection ask voters to keep them on the job next year, they’ll do so knowing they’re about to get big pay raises.

That seems like a good time for them to explain what they are willing to do to justify all that additional money.

One obvious answer comes to mind: work more.

Only three states — New York, California and Pennsylvania — currently pay legislators more than the $97,896 Hawaiʻi lawmakers will make starting in 2027, and all three have much longer legislative sessions than Hawaiʻi’s three and a half months.

Along with Michigan, they are the four states considered to have truly full-time legis

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