FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 14, 2026
Time Requested: 06:11 PM |
| Agency: |
Supreme Court of Appeals |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1254 |
Introduced |
SB29 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Courts; Magistrates |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
General Revenue Fund
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund
Legislation creates:
Increases Existing Expenses
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
This bill would increase the annual salaries of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, judges of the Intermediate Court of Appeals, circuit court judges, and family court judges, but not magistrates, over two years. Specifically, it increases the salary of a Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals to $154,600 beginning July 1, 2026 and to $159,600 beginning July 1, 2027; a judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals to $147,500 beginning July 1, 2026 and to $152,500 beginning July 1, 2027; a circuit court judge to $143,600 beginning July 1, 2026 and to $148,600 beginning July 1, 2027; a family court judge to $113,950 beginning July 1, 2026 and to $118,950 beginning July 1, 2027. Magistrate salaries would not be changed from the current $63,250. The bill also sets the employee contribution to the Judges’ Retirement Fund at 7% of salary received, and pauses the employer contribution by the Court or Legislature to the Judges’ Retirement Fund upon the State Actuary’s determination that the funding level exceeds 125%.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
1,114,412 |
1,909,552 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
1,114,412 |
1,909,552 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
The above estimate includes a total salary increase of $920,000 and total benefits increase of $194,412 in FY2027; and total salary increase of $680,000 and total benefits increase of $115,140 in FY2028. Benefits include FICA (calculated at 7.65% of wages), PERS contribution (calculated at 9.0% per CPRB) or JRS contribution (based on current plan participation) as applicable, and PEIA reserve fund requirement (1% of annual salary). It further assumes that the employer contribution for PEIA is not affected by the increase in pay (per PEIA premium rate plan).
Memorandum
This fiscal note calculates the expected increase resulting from the proposed salary increases but does not include the effect of pausing the employer contribution in FY2027 and FY2028, as we are unable to estimate the funding levels in future years; the Judicial Branch will defer to the Consolidated Public Retirement Board for their evaluation as to that aspect of the bill.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Liz Schindzielorz, Policy Counsel
Email Address: elizabeth.schindzielorz@courtswv.gov