Senate Bill No. 416
(By Senators Kessler, Jenkins and Minard)
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[Introduced March 2, 2009; referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §51-2A-6 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to increasing the salary of family
court judges.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §51-2A-6 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2A. FAMILY COURTS.
§
51-2A-6. Compensation and expenses of family court judges and
their staffs.
(a)
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: Provided, That beginning the first
day of July, two thousand five, A family court judge is entitled
to receive as compensation for his or her services an annual salary
of $82,500:
Provided, That beginning July 1, 2009, a family court judge is entitled to receive as compensation for his or her
services an annual salary of $111,000.
(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-seven thousand
thirty-six dollars: Provided, That on and after the first day of
July, two thousand six, The annual salary of the secretary-clerk
shall be established by the administrative director of the Supreme
Court of Appeals, but may not exceed $35,000. In addition, any
person employed as a secretary-clerk to a family court judge on the
effective date of the enactment of this section during the sixth
extraordinary session of the Legislature in the year 2001 who is
receiving an additional $500 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 1999 shall
continue to receive such additional amount. Further, the
secretary-clerk will receive
such the percentage or proportional
salary increases as may be provided by general law for other public
employees and is entitled to receive the annual incremental salary
increase as provided 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: Provided, That on and after the first day of July,
two thousand six, the annual salary of the family case coordinator
of the family court judge may not exceed $46,060. The family case
coordinator will receive
such the percentage or proportional salary
increases as may be provided by general law for other public
employees and is entitled to receive the annual incremental salary
increase as provided 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
Administrative 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
Administrative 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 the salary of
family court judges from $82,500 to $111,000.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.