photo by: W.Va. Legislative Photography
CHARLESTON — A bill meant to provide non-uniformed staff of West Virginia’s correctional facilities a pay bump easily cleared another hurdle, while the first part of Gov. Jim Justice’s pay raise proposal for public employees is on its way to the full House of Delegates.
The House Finance Committee met Thursday morning and recommended House Bill 4734, to provide a pay increase to state correctional workers in West Virginia, sending the bill to the full House for consideration.
HB 4734 would provide a pay increase to non-uniformed full-time administrative staff of the state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR). The Legislature already provided a pay increase to correctional officers during a special session last summer, while only approving a one-time bonus for non-uniformed staff.
“Last year, we came back and dealt with the correctional officers,” said Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, one of the bill’s co-sponsors. “I’m glad to see the House taking this up.”
Employees with three years or more of service with DCR would receive a 3% pay equity salary adjustment beginning July 1. New DCR employees or DCR employees with less than three years of employment would receive a 3% salary increase once they reach the third year of employment. According to an updated fiscal note, the estimated total cost would be $1.7 million in fiscal year 2025 and $2.3 million upon full implementation.
“This is making good on a promise,” said Del. John Paul Hott, R-Grant, who also co-sponsored the bill. “Those people continue to stay in support and to keep our jails and prisons operating safely. This is the right and appropriate thing for this body to do.”
In August 2023, the Legislature and Gov. Jim Justice approved $21.1 million to increase the starting pay and change pay scales for correctional officers, while providing nearly $6 million for one-time bonuses for support staff in the correctional system beginning last October.
HB 4734’s lead sponsor was Del. Ty Nestor, R-Randolph. House Jails and Prisons Committee Chairman David Kelly, R-Tyler, was also a sponsor. The House Jails Committee recommended the bill for passage on Feb. 1.
West Virginia has been under its second state of emergency for correctional officer and staff vacancies in the state’s prison and jail sites since August 2022. At one point, more than 350 members of the West Virginia National Guard were in state prisons and jails providing support, with approximately $30 million spent for these deployments.
According to testimony by DCR officials last week before the House Jails Committee, remaining members of the National Guard helping fill non-inmate-related job responsibilities in the state’s system of 11 prisons, 10 regional jails, 10 juvenile centers and three work-release sites could be fully mustered out by April or May. Officials credited the increase in pay scales and other incentives for helping reverse staff shortages.
The House Finance Committee also recommended House Bill 4883 for passage. The bill provides a 5% pay raise for teachers, school service personnel, and West Virginia State Police employees. According to a fiscal note, the bill would cost $80.3 million beginning in fiscal year 2025.
Last year, Justice called for his fifth pay raise proposal for state employees, teachers, school service personnel, and state troopers. He included the pay raise call in his eighth and final State of the State address, kicking off the 2024 legislative session on Jan. 10.
While pay raises for other state employees are included in the budget bill Justice submitted to the Legislature earlier this year, pay raises for teachers, school service personnel, and State Police employees must be done through a separate piece of legislation since their salaries are set in State Code. The total cost of pay raise for all state employees paid out of the general revenue budget is $123 million.