A Circuit Court judge yesterday issued a final ruling in a second lawsuit brought by state employee unions that bars Gov. Linda Lingle from unilaterally imposing furloughs on state workers.

Judge Karl K. Sakamoto's ruling, in a case filed by the Hawai'i State Teachers Association and United Public Workers, was similar to a decision he submitted Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by the Hawai'i Government Employees Association.

In both cases, Sakamoto found that neither state law nor the state constitution allow a governor to force state workers to take unpaid days off without negotiating with their representatives.

Lingle and Attorney General Mark Bennett on Tuesday said the state will appeal the rulings.