WEST virginia legislature
2018 regular session
Engrossed
Senate Bill 393
By Senators Blair, Boley, Boso, Drennan, Facemire, Ferns, Gaunch, Palumbo, Plymale, Prezioso, Stollings, Sypolt, and Takubo
[Originating in the Committee on Finance; Reported on January 25, 2018]
A BILL to amend and reenact §6-7-2a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §19-23-4 of said code; all relating to the compensation and composition of the West Virginia Racing Commission.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
Chapter 6. General Provisions Respecting Officers.
Article 7. Compensation and Allowances.
§6-7-2a. Terms of certain appointive state officers; appointment; qualifications; powers and salaries of officers.
(a) Each of the following appointive state officers named in this subsection shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each of the appointive state officers serves at the will and pleasure of the Governor for the term for which the Governor was elected and until the respective state officers’ successors have been appointed and qualified. Each of the appointive state officers are subject to the existing qualifications for holding each respective office and each has and is hereby granted all of the powers and authority and shall perform all of the functions and services heretofore vested in and performed by virtue of existing law respecting each office.
The annual salary of each named appointive state officer is as follows:
Commissioner, Division of Highways, $92,500; Commissioner, Division of Corrections, $80,000; Director, Division of Natural Resources, $75,000; Superintendent, State Police, $85,000; Commissioner, Division of Banking, $75,000; Commissioner, Division of Culture and History, $65,000; Commissioner, Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, $75,000; Commissioner, Division of Motor Vehicles, $75,000; Director, Human Rights Commission, $55,000; Commissioner, Division of Labor, $70,000; prior to July 1, 2011, Director, Division of Veterans Affairs, $65,000; Chairperson, Board of Parole, $55,000; members, Board of Parole, $50,000; members, Employment Security Review Board, $17,000; and Commissioner, Workforce West Virginia, $75,000. Secretaries of the departments shall be paid an annual salary as follows: Health and Human Resources, $95,000: Provided, That effective July 1, 2013, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources shall be paid an annual salary not to exceed $175,000; Transportation, $95,000: Provided, however, That if the same person is serving as both the Secretary of Transportation and the Commissioner of Highways, he or she shall be paid $120,000; Revenue, $95,000; Military Affairs and Public Safety, $95,000; Administration, $95,000; Education and the Arts, $95,000; Commerce, $95,000; Veterans’ Assistance, $95,000; and Environmental Protection, $95,000: Provided further, That any officer specified in this subsection whose salary is increased by more than $5,000 as a result of the amendment and reenactment of this section during the 2011 regular session of the Legislature shall be paid the salary increase in increments of $5,000 per fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, up to the maximum salary provided in this subsection.
(b) Each of the state officers named in this subsection shall continue to be appointed in the manner prescribed in this code and shall be paid an annual salary as follows:
Director, Board
of Risk and Insurance Management, $80,000; Director, Division of Rehabilitation
Services, $70,000; Director, Division of Personnel, $70,000; Executive
Director, Educational Broadcasting Authority, $75,000; Secretary, Library
Commission, $72,000; Director, Geological and Economic Survey, $75,000;
Executive Director, Prosecuting Attorneys Institute, $80,000; Executive
Director, Public Defender Services, $70,000; Commissioner, Bureau of Senior
Services, $75,000; Executive Director, Women’s Commission, $45,000; Director,
Hospital Finance Authority, $35,000; member, Racing Commission, $7,20012,000;
Chairman, Public Service Commission, $85,000; members, Public Service
Commission, $85,000; Director, Division of Forestry, $75,000; Director,
Division of Juvenile Services, $80,000; Executive Director, Regional Jail and
Correctional Facility Authority, $80,000; and Executive Director of the
Health Care Authority, $80,000.
(c) Each of the following appointive state officers named in this subsection shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each of the appointive state officers serves at the will and pleasure of the Governor for the term for which the Governor was elected and until the respective state officers’ successors have been appointed and qualified. Each of the appointive state officers are subject to the existing qualifications for holding each respective office and each has and is hereby granted all of the powers and authority and shall perform all of the functions and services heretofore vested in and performed by virtue of existing law respecting each office.
The annual salary of each named appointive state officer shall be as follows:
Commissioner, State Tax Division, $92,500; Insurance Commissioner, $92,500; Director, Lottery Commission, $92,500; Director, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, $65,000; and Adjutant General, $125,000.
(d) No increase in the salary of any appointive state officer pursuant to this section may be paid until and unless the appointive state officer has first filed with the State Auditor and the Legislative Auditor a sworn statement, on a form to be prescribed by the Attorney General, certifying that his or her spending unit is in compliance with any general law providing for a salary increase for his or her employees. The Attorney General shall prepare and distribute the form to the affected spending units.
Chapter 19. Agriculture.
Article 23. Horse and dog racing.
§19-23-4. West Virginia Racing Commission continued as a public corporation; composition; terms; vacancies; qualifications, expenses of members; principal office; meetings; election of officers; quorum; inspection of records; annual report.
(a) The West Virginia Racing Commission, is continued in existence as a public corporation and, as such, may contract and be contracted with, plead and be impleaded, sue and be sued, and have and use a common seal.
(b) The Racing Commission shall consist of three five
members, not more than three two of whom shall belong to the same
political party, to be appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. Individuals appointed to the commission shall be
persons who, by reason of previous training and experience, can be classified
as capable and experienced in fields of knowledge relevant to racing. One of the appointees to the commission shall be a person
who, by reason of previous training and experience, can be classified as one capable
and experienced in the tourism industry and shall be designated the tourism
representative. One of the appointees to the Commission shall be a person
who, by reason of previous training and experience, can be classified as one
who is knowledgeable and experienced in the thoroughbred racing industry and
shall be designated the thoroughbred horse racing representative. One of the appointees to the Commission shall be a person
who, by reason of previous training and experience, can be classified as one
who is knowledgeable and experienced in the greyhound racing industry and shall
be designated the greyhound racing representative. One of the appointees to the
Commission shall be a person who, by reason of previous training and
experience, can be classified as one who is knowledgeable and experienced in the
casino industry or in racetrack management and shall be designated the casino
representative. One of the appointees to the Commission shall be a person
who, by reason of previous training and experience, can be classified as one
who is knowledgeable and experienced in veterinary services and medical care
for thoroughbred horses and shall be designated the veterinary representative.
On or after the effective date of the 2018 amendment and reenactment of this
section, the Governor shall, with advice and consent from the Senate, appoint two
additional members to occupy the two newly created positions on the commission according to the classifications and areas
of expertise listed above. The current members of the commission
as of the effective date of the 2018 amendment shall retain their seats: Provided,
That each member of the commission who is reappointed after the effective date
of the 2018 amendment must be qualified according to at least one of the five
classifications above, so that each of the five fields of knowledge relevant to
racing is represented on the commission. The term
of office for the members of the Racing Commission is four years, and
until their successors have been appointed and have qualified, and members of
the Racing Commission may serve any number of successive terms. The members of
the Racing Commission in office on the effective date of the amendment and
reenactment of this section in two thousand one 2018 shall, unless
removed by the Governor after the effective date of this article, continue to
serve until their terms expire and until their successors have been appointed
and have qualified. Any vacancy in the office of a member of the Racing
Commission shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired
term of the member whose office shall be vacant. No person is eligible for
appointment to or to serve upon the Racing Commission:
(1) Unless he or she is an actual and bona fide resident of
this state, shall have resided in this state for a period of at least five
years next preceding his or her appointment, shall be a qualified voter
of this state, and be not less than 25twenty-five years of
age;
(2) Who directly or indirectly, or in any capacity, owns or has any interest, in any manner whatever, in any racetrack where horse or dog race meetings may be held, including, but not limited to, an interest as owner, lessor, lessee, stockholder, or employee;
(3) While serving as a member of the Legislature or as an elective officer of this state; or
(4) Who has been or shall be convicted of an offense which,
under the law of this state or any other state or of the United States of
America, constitutes a felony, or is a violation of §61-4-1 et seq.
article four, chapter sixty-one of this code.
(c) Each member of the Racing Commission shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the Racing Commission.
(d) The Racing Commission shall have its principal office at the seat of government, and shall meet annually at its principal office in the month of January, and at any other times and places designated by its chairman. At the annual meeting the Racing Commission shall elect from its membership a chairman and any other officers that are desired. Other meetings of the Racing Commission may be called by the chairman on such notice to the other members prescribed by the Racing Commission.
(e) A majority of the members of the Racing Commission constitute a quorum for the transaction of its business or the exercise of any of its powers and authority. No person not a bona fide member of the Racing Commission shall vote upon or participate in the deliberations of the Racing Commission on any matter which may come before it. All Racing Commission records, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be open to public inspection during regular office hours.
(f) As soon as possible after the close of each calendar year, the Racing Commission shall submit to the Governor a report of the transactions of the Racing Commission during the preceding calendar year.