Senate Bill No. 589

(By Senator Palumbo)

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[Introduced February 21, 2011; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §27-5-2a, relating to hiring of permanent full-time and part-time mental hygiene commissioners by the Supreme Court of Appeals.

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 §27-5-2a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 5. INVOLUNTARY HOSPITALIZATION.

§27-5-2a. Full-time and part-time mental hygiene commissioners.

    (a) The Supreme Court of Appeals, in consultation with the chief judge, may hire permanent full-time or part-time mental hygiene commissioners in judicial circuits that have extensive mental hygiene and guardianship and conservatorship case loads and billable hours. The salary, benefits and job description are to be determined by the Supreme Court of Appeals and shall be commensurate with legal professionals of similar experience and stature.

    (b) Notwithstanding the creation of full-time and part-time mental hygiene commissioners in this section, the remaining provisions of this article apply to mental hygiene commissioners.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is permit the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals to create full-time and part-time mental hygiene commissioner positions.

    This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.