H. B. 3067
(By Delegate Staggers (By Request))
[Introduced January 9, 2008; referred to the
Committee on Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §7-14-17f, relating
to providing salary increases for deputies with college
degrees; and providing county commissions with an election
option in lieu of the mandated salary increases.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §7-14-17f, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 14. CIVIL SERVICE FOR DEPUTY SHERIFFS.
§7-14-17f. Right to receive salary increases based on education
level.
(a) From the effective date of this section, any deputy
sheriff who attains an Associate's Degree from an accredited
college or university or through the West Virginia Board of Regents
shall receive a monthly salary increase of one hundred twenty-five
dollars per month in excess of any salary increases for rank, longevity or across-the-board pay increases. Any deputy sheriff
who attains a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or
university or through the West Virginia Board of Regents shall
receive a monthly increase of two hundred fifty dollars per month
in excess of any salary increases for rank, longevity or
across-the-board pay raises. Any deputy sheriff who attains a
Master's Degree from an accredited college or university shall
receive a monthly salary increase of three hundred seventy-five
dollars per month in excess of any salary increases for rank,
longevity or across-the-board pay raises. This salary increase
shall take effect on the first day of July following the awarding
of the applicable degree. For deputy sheriffs currently possessing
any applicable degree, this salary increase shall take effect on
the first day of July following the enactment of this section.
(b) These salary increases may not be cumulative and a deputy
sheriff may only receive the monthly salary increase for the
highest academic rank attained. Any applicable degree must be
received through a college or university accredited from an
accrediting source recognized as such by all institutions of higher
learning in this state.
(c) In lieu of adopting this established level of salary
increases for deputy sheriffs having or attaining degrees of higher
learning, a county commission may, in its discretion, adopt a
program wherein deputy sheriffs employed in the county shall
receive reimbursement for all tuition expenses and expenses
incurred for the purchase of textbooks while attending college-level courses at any accredited college or university,
including college level courses up to and including Master's Degree
level courses. If a county commission elects to offer the tuition
reimbursement program it must offer increases in monthly salaries
to deputy sheriffs equal to one-half the monthly increases offered
under subsection (a) of this section. County commissions adopting
this option may also require any deputy sheriff receiving tuition
and textbook expense reimbursement to enter into a contract
requiring the deputy sheriff to remain employed in that county for
a period of one year following each tuition and textbook expense
reimbursement. Deputy sheriffs failing to honor this contract
shall be required to pay to the county commission an amount equal
to twice the amount received in the tuition and textbook expense
reimbursement received during the preceding year.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide salary increases
for deputies with college degrees. The bill allows the county
commission to elect whether to implement the salary increases
mandated in subsection (a) or to implement a tuition and text book
expense reimbursement program which would require increases in
salary to the extent of one-half of the mandated increases in
subsection one.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.