H. B. 2810
(By Delegate Staggers)
[Introduced January 13, 2010; referred to the
Committee on Political Subdivisions then 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 to reimburse deputies for all tuition expenses and
expenses incurred for the purchase of textbooks while
attending college-level courses at any accredited college or
university 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 $125.00 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 $250.00 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 $375.00 per
month in excess of any salary increases for rank, longevity or
across-the-board pay raises. This salary increase shall take
effect on July 1
following the awarding of the applicable degree.
For deputy sheriffs currently possessing any applicable degree,
this salary increase shall take effect on July 1 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 adopt a program where 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
offers 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 (a).
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.