ENROLLED

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

H. B. 4076

(By Delegate Cowles)



[Passed February 29, 2008; in effect from passage.]


AN ACT to amend and reenact §4-2A-2, §4-2A-4, §4-2A-6 and §4-2A-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §5-5-2 of said code, all relating to providing employment benefits to public officials generally; increasing basic compensation and per diem expense allowance for members of the Legislature; increasing certain additional compensations for certain members of the Legislature; and increasing the annual incremental salary increase for certain eligible employees of the state.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §4-2A-2, §4-2A-4, §4-2A-6 and §4-2A-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that §5- 5-2 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 4. THE LEGISLATURE.

ARTICLE 2A. COMPENSATION FOR AND EXPENSES OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

PART II. COMPENSATION.

§4-2A-2. Basic compensation for services; proration.
(a) Beginning in the calendar year two thousand nine and for each calendar year after that, each member of the Legislature shall receive as basic compensation for his or her services the sum of twenty thousand dollars per calendar year, to be paid as provided in subsection (b) of this section. In addition to the basic compensation, members shall receive the additional compensations as are expressly provided in sections three, four and five of this article. All other increased amounts or new amounts in respect to the compensation of members of the Legislature, set forth in the resolution of the Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission, dated the ninth day of January, two thousand seven, and implemented in sections two, four, six and eight of this article providing for new amounts or amounts increased to new amounts greater than those in force and effect on the first day of January, two thousand seven, become effective for calendar year two thousand nine and each calendar year after that: Provided, That increased amounts or new amounts in respect to the expenses of members of the Legislature, set forth in said resolution, and implemented in sections six and eight of this article providing for new amounts or amounts increased to new amounts greater than those in force and effect on the first day of January, two thousand seven, become effective for calendar year two thousand eight and each calendar year after that.
(b) The basic compensation is payable as follows:
(1) In the year two thousand nine, and every fourth year after that:
(A) Five thousand dollars in each of February, March and. April, payable twice a month; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars in each of January, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, payable once a month.
(2) Beginning in two thousand ten, in all years except those described in subdivision (1) of this subsection:
(A) Five thousand dollars in each of January, February and March, payable twice a month; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars in each of April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, payable once a month;
(c) In the event of the death, resignation or removal of a member of the Legislature and the appointment and qualification of his or her successor, the compensation provided in this section for the month in which the death, resignation or removal of the member of the Legislature occurs shall be prorated between the original member and his or her successor on the basis of the number of days served, including Saturdays and Sundays in the month.

§4-2A-4. Additional compensation for President of Senate, Speaker of House of Delegates, majority leaders, minority leaders, certain committee chairs and selected members of both houses.

(a) In addition to the basic and additional compensation provided in sections two and three of this article, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall each receive additional compensation of:
(1) One hundred fifty dollars per day for each day actually served during any regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session as presiding officer, including Saturdays and Sundays; and
(2) One hundred fifty dollars per day for attending to legislative business when the Legislature is not in regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session and interim committees are not meeting.
(b) In addition to the basic and additional compensation provided in sections two and three of this article, the majority leaders and minority leaders of the Senate and of the House of Delegates shall each receive additional compensation of fifty dollars per day for each day actually served during any regular, extension of regular or during extraordinary session, including Saturdays and Sundays, as the selected legislative leaders of their respective political parties.
(c) The presiding officer and majority and minority leader compensation shall be paid, from time to time, during any such session or interim period, as the case may be, as may be prescribed by rules established by the Legislative Auditor.
(d) In addition to the basic and additional compensation provided in sections two and three of this article, the chairpersons of the committees on finance and committees on the judiciary of the respective houses and up to six additional persons from each house, to be named by the presiding officer, shall each receive an additional compensation of one hundred fifty dollars per day up to a maximum of thirty days for attending to legislative business when the Legislature is not in regular, extended or extraordinary session and interim committees are not meeting.
PART III. EXPENSES.

§4-2A-6. Travel expenses.
(a) Each member of the Legislature is entitled to be reimbursed, upon submission of an expense voucher, for expenses incurred incident to travel in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the Legislature or any committee of the Legislature, whether the committee is operating under general law or resolution, including, but not limited to, attendance at party caucuses held in advance of the date of the assembly of the Legislature in regular session in odd-numbered years for the purpose of selecting candidates for officers of the two houses, at a rate equal to that paid by the travel management office of the department of administration for the most direct usually traveled route, if travel is by private automobile, or for actual transportation costs for direct route travel, if travel is by public carrier, or for any combination of those means of transportation actually used, plus the cost of necessary taxi or limousine service, tolls and parking fees in connection with the travel, but during any regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session, travel expenses shall not be paid to any member for more than one round trip to and from the seat of government and to and from his or her place of residence for each week of the session.
(b) In addition to the travel expense in subsection (a) of this section, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Delegates are entitled to be reimbursed as provided in subsection (a) of this section, upon submission of an expense voucher, for expenses incurred incident to travel which is related to their duties as presiding officers of the respective houses of the Legislature, but which takes place when the Legislature is not in regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session and interim committees are not meeting.
(c) The rate paid for mileage pursuant to this section may change from time to time in accordance with changes in the reimbursement rates established by the travel management office of the department of administration, or its successor agency.
§4-2A-7. Reimbursement for expenses incurred during any session or interim assignment.

(a) Each member of the Legislature who does not commute daily shall receive the sum of one hundred thirty-one dollars per day as per diem allowance in connection with any regular, extended, extraordinary session, interim assignment or for any member authorized by the presiding officer. Any member of the Legislature who does commute daily shall receive the sum of fifty-five dollars per day as the per diem allowance and, in addition to the allowance, shall be reimbursed for overnight commuting expenses at the mileage rate equal to the amount paid by the travel management office of the department of administration for the most direct usually traveled route, if travel is by private automobile, or for actual transportation costs for direct route travel, if travel is by public carrier, or for any combination of the means of transportation actually used, plus the costs of necessary taxi or limousine service, tolls and parking fees in connection with the travel: Provided, That the total of this per diem allowance plus travel expense for a daily commuting member may not exceed one hundred thirty-one dollars per day. The amount for mileage paid pursuant to this subsection may change from time to time in accordance with changes in the level of reimbursement by the travel management office.
(b) The president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Delegates, the chairman of the house committee on finance, the chairman of the senate committee on finance, the chairman of the house committee on the judiciary, the chairman of the senate committee on the judiciary, and up to six additional persons from each house designated by the presiding officer pursuant to section four of this article, shall be reimbursed for travel at the rate established in subsection (a) of this section, and shall further receive the per diem allowance established in the subsection in connection with business which is related to their duties as officers at the times when the Legislature is not in regular, extended or extraordinary session, and interim committees are not meeting.
CHAPTER 5. GENERAL POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR,

SECRETARY OF STATE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL; BOARD

OF PUBLIC WORKS; MISCELLANEOUS AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS,

OFFICES, PROGRAMS, ETC.

ARTICLE 5. SALARY INCREASE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.
§5-5-2. Granting incremental salary increases based on years of service.

(a)(1) Every eligible employee with three or more years of service shall receive an annual salary increase equal to fifty dollars times the employee's years of service. In each fiscal year and on the first day of July, each eligible employee shall receive an annual increment increase of fifty dollars for that fiscal year.
(2) For fiscal years beginning the first day of July, two thousand eight, and each fiscal year thereafter, every eligible employee with one or more years of service shall receive an annual salary increase equal to sixty dollars times the employee's years of service. In each fiscal year and on the first day of July, each eligible employee shall receive an annual increment increase of sixty dollars for that fiscal year.
(b)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, every employee becoming newly eligible as a result of meeting the three years of service minimum requirement on the first day of July in any fiscal year is entitled to the annual salary increase equal to fifty dollars times the employee's years of service, where he or she has not in a previous fiscal year received the benefit of an increment computation. Thereafter, the employee shall receive a single annual increment increase of fifty dollars for each subsequent fiscal year.
(2) Every employee becoming newly eligible as a result of meeting the three years of service minimum requirement on the first day of July in any fiscal year subsequent to the fiscal year ending the thirtieth day of June, two thousand eight, is entitled to the annual salary increase equal to sixty dollars times the employee's years of service, where he or she has not in a previous fiscal year received the benefit of an increment computation. Thereafter, the employee shall receive a single annual increment increase of sixty dollars for each subsequent fiscal year.
(c) These incremental increases are in addition to any across-the-board, cost-of-living or percentage salary increases which may be granted in any fiscal year by the Legislature.
(d) This section shall not be construed to prohibit other pay increases based on merit, seniority, promotion or other reason, if funds are available for the other pay increases: Provided, That the executive head of each spending unit shall first grant the mandated increase in compensation in this section to all eligible employees prior to the consideration of any increases based on merit, seniority, promotion or other reason.