WEST virginia Legislature

2016 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4648

By Delegates Skinner, Folk and McCuskey

[Introduced February 22, 2016; Referred
to the Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-5-7, relating to providing additional pay for public employees who reside in counties with the highest median home costs.

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 §5-5-7, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 5. SALARY INCREASE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.

§5-5-7. Pay adjustments based upon median housing costs in the county for public employees.

(a) If a public employee resides in a county in which the “median monthly housing cost for owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage” for West Virginia counties as compiled from the most recently completed five-year American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau is greater than the “median monthly housing costs for owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage” for all counties in the state, he or she is entitled to “locality pay” as determined in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) An employee eligible for “locality pay” shall be paid an increase in salary of one percent  for each ten percent the “median monthly housing cost for owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage” in the county of his or her residence exceeds the “median monthly housing cost for owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage” for all counties in the state.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide additional pay for public employees who reside in counties with the highest median home costs.

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