2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 3135

By Delegates Westfall and Riley

[Introduced January 30, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend and reenact §6-7-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing compensation of designated constitutional officers, including for the Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, and State Treasurer.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 7. COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES.

§6-7-2. Salaries of certain state officers.

(a) Beginning in the calendar year 2005, and for each calendar year after that, salaries for each of the state Constitutional officers are as follows:

(1) The salary of the Governor is $95,000 per year;

(2) The salary of the Attorney General is $80,000 per year;

(3) The salary of the Auditor is $75,000 per year;

(4) The salary of the Secretary of State is $70,000 per year;

(5) The salary of the Commissioner of Agriculture is $75,000 per year; and

(6) The salary of the state Treasurer is $75,000 per year.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, beginning in the calendar year 2009, and for each calendar year thereafter, salaries for each of the state Constitutional officers shall be as follows:

(1) The salary of the Governor shall be $150,000 per year;

(2) The salary of the Attorney General shall be $95,000 per year;

(3) The salary of the Auditor shall be $95,000 per year;

(4) The salary of the Secretary of State shall be $95,000 per year;

(5) The salary of the Commissioner of Agriculture shall be $95,000 per year; and

(6) The salary of the state Treasurer shall be $95,000 per year.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, beginning January 1, 2025 salaries for each of the state constitutional officers shall be as follows:

(1) The salary of the Governor shall be 100 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress;

(2) The salary of the Attorney General shall be 85 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress;

(3) The salary of the Auditor shall be 85 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress;

(4) The salary of the Secretary of State shall be 85 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress;

(5) The salary of the Commissioner of Agriculture shall be 85 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress; and

(6) The salary of the State Treasurer shall be 85 percent of the compensation of a member of the United States Congress.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase compensation for the Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, and State Treasurer.

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