H. B. 4572


(By Delegate Keener)

[Introduced February 21, 2002 ; referred to the

Committee on Finance.]





A BILL to amend and reenact section ten-a, article one, chapter fifty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend and reenact section thirteen, article two; section six, article two-a of said chapter, all relating to increasing salaries of supreme court justices, circuit court judges and family law judges.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section ten-a, article one; section thirteen, article two; section six, article two-a, all of chapter fifty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS.

§51-1-10a. Salary of justices.
The salary of each of the justices of the supreme court of appeals shall be seventy-two thousand dollars per year: Provided, That beginning the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, the salary of each of the justices of the supreme court shall be eighty-five thousand dollars per year: Provided, however, That beginning the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, the salary of each of the justices of the supreme court shall be ninety-five thousand dollars per year: Provided further, That beginning the first day of July, two thousand four, the salary of each of the justices of the supreme court shall be one hundred thirty thousand dollars per year.
ARTICLE 2. CIRCUIT COURTS; CIRCUIT JUDGES.

§51-2-13. Salaries of judges of circuit courts.
The salaries of the judges of the various circuit courts shall be paid solely out of the state treasury. No county, county commission, board of commissioners or other political subdivision shall supplement or add to such salaries.
The annual salary of all circuit judges shall be sixty-five thousand dollars per year: Provided, That beginning the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, the annual salary of all circuit judges shall be eighty thousand dollars per year: Provided, however, That beginning the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, the annual salary of all circuit judges shall be ninety thousand dollars per year: Provided further, That beginning the first day of July, two thousand four, the annual salary of all circuit judges shall be one hundred twenty thousand dollars per year.
ARTICLE 2A. FAMILY COURTS.
§51-2A-6. Compensation and expenses of family court judges and their staffs.

(a) Until the thirty-first day of December, two thousand two, a family court judge is entitled to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual salary of sixty thousand dollars. Beginning the first day of January, two thousand three, a family court judge is entitled to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual salary of sixty-two thousand five hundred dollars. Beginning the first day of January, two thousand five, a family court judge is entitled to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual salary of ninety-five thousand dollars.
(b) The secretary-clerk of the family court judge is appointed by the family court judge and serves at his or her will and pleasure. The secretary-clerk of the family court judge is entitled to receive an annual salary of twenty-five thousand three hundred thirty-two dollars. In addition, any person employed as a secretary-clerk to a family law master on the effective date of the enactment of this section during the sixth extraordinary session of the Legislature in the year two thousand one who is receiving an additional five hundred dollars per year up to ten years of a certain period of prior employment under the provisions of the prior enactment of section eight of this article during the second extraordinary session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine shall continue to receive such additional amount. Further, the secretary-clerk will receive such percentage or proportional salary increases as may be provided for by general law for other public employees and is entitled to receive the annual incremental salary increase as provided for in article five, chapter five of this code.
(c) The family court judge may employ not more than one family case coordinator who serves at his or her will and pleasure. The annual salary of the family case coordinator of the family court judge shall be established by the administrative director of the supreme court of appeals but may not exceed thirty-six thousand sixty dollars. The family case coordinator will receive such percentage or proportional salary increases as may be provided for by general law for other public employees and is entitled to receive the annual incremental salary increase as provided for in article five, chapter five of this code.
(d) The sheriff or his or her designated deputy shall serve as a bailiff for a family court judge. The sheriff of each county shall serve or designate persons to serve so as to assure that a bailiff is available when a family court judge determines the same is necessary for the orderly and efficient conduct of the business of the family court.
(e) Disbursement of salaries for family court judges and members of their staffs are made by or pursuant to the order of the director of the administrative office of the supreme court of appeals.
(f) Family court judges and members of their staffs are allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The expenses and compensation will be determined and paid by the director of the administrative office of the supreme court of appeals under such guidelines as he or she may prescribe, as approved by the supreme court of appeals.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, family court judges are not eligible to participate in the retirement system for judges under the provisions of article nine of this chapter.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase salaries of supreme court justices, circuit court judges and family law judges.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.