ENROLLED
Senate Bill No. 422
(By Senators Bowman, Wiedebusch, Schoonover, Buckalew,
Miller, Dittmar, Bailey, Wagner and Blatnik)
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[Passed March 9, 1996; in effect ninety days from passage.]
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AN ACT to amend and reenact section seventeen, article fourteen,
chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; to amend and reenact
section seventeen, article fourteen-b of said chapter; to
amend and reenact section twenty, article fourteen, chapter
eight of said code; and to amend and reenact section twenty-
five, article fifteen of said chapter, all relating to the
recovery of reasonable attorney fees by a deputy sheriff,
police officer, firefighter or correctional officer in a
civil service proceeding and a subsequent appeal therefrom
where the applicable civil service commission or a court has
determined that the deputy sheriff, police officer,
firefighter or correctional officer has been unlawfully
removed, discharged, suspended or reduced in rank or pay.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section seventeen, article fourteen, chapter seven of
the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one
as amended, be amended and reenacted; that section seventeen,
article fourteen-b of said chapter be amended and reenacted; that
section twenty, article fourteen, chapter eight of said code be
amended and reenacted; and that section twenty-five, article
fifteen of said chapter be amended and reenacted, all to read as
follows:
CHAPTER 7. COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND OFFICERS.
ARTICLE 14. CIVIL SERVICE FOR DEPUTY SHERIFFS.
§7-14-17. Removal, discharge, suspension or reduction in rank
or pay; hearing; attorney fees; appeal; reduction
in force; mandatory retirement age.
(a) No deputy sheriff of any county subject to the
provisions of this article may be removed, discharged, suspended
or reduced in rank or pay except for just cause, which may not be
religious or political, except as provided in section fifteen of
this article; and no such deputy may be removed, discharged,
suspended or reduced in rank or pay except as provided in this
article and in no event until the deputy has been furnished with
a written statement of the reasons for the action. In every case
of such removal, discharge, suspension or reduction, a copy of
the statement of reasons therefor and of the written answer thereto, if the deputy desires to file such written answer, shall
be furnished to the civil service commission and entered upon its
records. If the deputy demands it, the civil service commission
shall grant a public hearing, which hearing shall be held within
a period of ten days from the filing of the charges in writing or
the written answer thereto, whichever shall last occur. At the
hearing, the burden shall be upon the sheriff to justify his or
her action, and in the event the sheriff fails to justify the
action before the commission, then the deputy shall be reinstated
with full pay, forthwith and without any additional order, for
the entire period during which the deputy may have been prevented
from performing his or her usual employment, and no charges may
be officially recorded against the deputy's record. The deputy,
if reinstated or exonerated, shall, if represented by legal
counsel, be awarded reasonable attorney fees to be determined by
the commission and paid by the sheriff from county funds. A
written record of all testimony taken at the hearing shall be
kept and preserved by the civil service commission, which record
shall be sealed and not be open to public inspection unless an
appeal is taken from the action of the commission.
(b) In the event the civil service commission sustains the
action of the sheriff, the deputy has an immediate right of
appeal to the circuit court of the county. In the event that the commission reinstates the deputy, the sheriff has an immediate
right of appeal to the circuit court. In the event either the
sheriff or the deputy objects to the amount of the attorney fees
awarded to the deputy, the objecting party has an immediate right
of appeal to the circuit court. Any appeal must be taken within
ninety days from the date of entry by the civil service
commission of its final order. Upon an appeal being taken and
docketed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county, the
circuit court shall proceed to hear the appeal upon the original
record made before the commission and no additional proof may be
permitted to be introduced. The circuit court's decision is
final, but the deputy or sheriff, as the case may be, against
whom the decision of the circuit court is rendered has the right
to petition the supreme court of appeals for a review of the
circuit court's decision as in other civil cases. The deputy or
sheriff also has the right, where appropriate, to seek, in lieu
of an appeal, a writ of mandamus. The deputy, if reinstated or
exonerated by the circuit court or by the supreme court of
appeals, shall, if represented by legal counsel, be awarded
reasonable attorney fees as approved by the court and the fees
shall be paid by the sheriff from county funds.
(c) The removing sheriff and the deputy shall at all times,
both before the civil service commission and upon appeal, be given the right to employ counsel to represent them.
(d) If for reasons of economy or other reasons it is deemed
necessary by any appointing sheriff to reduce the number of his
or her deputies, the sheriff shall follow the procedure set forth
in this subsection. The reduction in the numbers of the deputy
sheriffs of the county shall be effected by suspending the last
person or persons, including probationers, who have been
appointed as deputies. The removal shall be accomplished by
suspending the number desired in the inverse order of their
appointment:
Provided, That in the event the number of deputies
is increased in numbers to the strength existing prior to the
reduction of deputies, the deputies suspended under the terms of
this subsection shall be reinstated in the inverse order of their
suspension before any new appointments of deputy sheriffs in the
county are made.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to
the contrary, no deputy sheriff in any county subject to the
provisions of this article may serve as a deputy sheriff in any
county subject to the provisions of this article after attaining
the age of sixty-five years.
ARTICLE 14B. CIVIL SERVICE FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.
§7-14B-17. Removal, discharge, suspension or reduction in rank
or pay; appeal; reduction in force; mandatory retirement age.
(a) No correctional officer of any county subject to the
provisions of this article, may be removed, discharged,
suspended or reduced in rank or pay except for just cause,
which may not be religious or political, except as provided in
section fifteen of this article; and no such correctional
officer may be removed, discharged, suspended or reduced in
rank or pay except as provided in this article and in no event
until the correctional officer has been furnished with a
written statement of the reasons for the action. In every case
of such removal, discharge, suspension or reduction, a copy of
the statement of reasons therefor and of the written answer
thereto, if the correctional officer desires to file such
written answer, shall be furnished to the civil service
commission and entered upon its records. If the correctional
officer demands it, the civil service commission shall grant
him a public hearing, which hearing shall be held within a
period of ten days from the filing of the charges in writing or
the written answer thereto, whichever shall last occur. At the
hearing, the burden shall be upon the sheriff to justify his or
her action, and in the event the sheriff fails to justify the
action before the commission, then the correctional officer
shall be reinstated with full pay, forthwith and without any additional order, for the entire period during which the
officer may have been prevented from performing his or her
usual employment, and no charges may be officially recorded
against the officer's record. The correctional officer, if
reinstated or exonerated, shall, if represented by legal
counsel, be awarded reasonable attorney fees to be determined
by the commission and paid by the sheriff from county funds. A
written record of all testimony taken at the hearing shall be
kept and preserved by the civil service commission, which
record shall be sealed and not be open to public inspection,
unless an appeal is taken from the action of the commission.
(b) In the event the civil service commission sustains the
action of the sheriff, the correctional officer has an
immediate right of appeal to the circuit court of the county.
In the event that the commission reinstates the correctional
officer, the sheriff has an immediate right of appeal to the
circuit court. In the event either the sheriff or the
correctional officer objects to the amount of the attorneys
fees awarded to the correctional officer, the objecting party
has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court. Any
appeal must be taken within ninety days from the date of entry
by the civil service commission of its final order. Upon an
appeal being taken and docketed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county, the circuit court shall proceed to hear
the appeal upon the original record made before the commission
and no additional proof may be permitted to be introduced. The
circuit court's decision is final, but the correctional officer
or sheriff, as the case may be, against whom the decision of
the circuit court is rendered has the right to petition the
supreme court of appeals for a review of the circuit court's
decision as in other civil cases. The correctional officer or
sheriff also has the right, where appropriate, to seek in lieu
of an appeal, a writ of mandamus. The correctional officer, if
reinstated or exonerated by the circuit court or the supreme
court of appeals, shall, if represented by legal counsel, be
awarded reasonable attorney fees as approved by the court and
the fees shall be paid by the sheriff from county funds.
(c) The removing sheriff and the correctional officer
shall at all times, both before the civil service commission
and upon appeal, be given the right to employ counsel to
represent them.
(d) If for reasons of economy or other reasons it is
deemed necessary by any appointing sheriff to reduce the number
of his or her correctional officers, the sheriff shall follow
the procedure set forth in this subsection. The reduction in
the numbers of the correctional officers of the county shall be effected by suspending the last person or persons, including
probationers, who have been appointed as correctional officers:
Provided, That in the event the number of correctional officers
is increased in numbers to the strength existing prior to the
reduction of correctional officers, the correctional officers
suspended under the terms of this subsection shall be
reinstated in the inverse order of their suspension before any
new appointments of correctional officers in the county are
made.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to
the contrary, no correctional officer in any county subject to
the provisions of this article may serve as a correctional
officer in any county subject to the provisions of this article
after attaining the age of sixty-five years.
CHAPTER 8. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.
ARTICLE 14. LAW AND ORDER; POLICE FORCE OR DEPARTMENTS;
POWERS, AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS AND POLICEMEN; POLICE MATRONS;
SPECIAL SCHOOL ZONE AND PARKING LOT OR PARKING
BUILDING; POLICE OFFICERS; CIVIL SERVICE FOR
CERTAIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
§8-14-20. Removal, discharge, suspension or reduction in rank
or pay; hearing; attorney fees; appeal;
reduction in number of members.
(a) No member of any paid police department subject to the
civil service provisions of this article may be removed,
discharged, suspended or reduced in rank or pay except for just
cause, which may not be religious or political, except as
provided in section nineteen of this article; and no such
member may be removed, discharged, suspended or reduced in rank
or pay except as provided by the civil service provisions of
this article, and in no event until the member has been
furnished with a written statement of the reasons for the
action. In every case of such removal, discharge, suspension
or reduction, a copy of the statement of reasons therefor and
of the written answer thereto, if the member desires to file
such written answer, shall be furnished to the policemen's
civil service commission and entered upon its records. If the
member demands it, the commission shall grant a public hearing,
which hearing shall be held within a period of ten days from
the filing of the charges in writing or the written answer
thereto, whichever shall last occur. At the hearing, the
burden shall be upon the removing, discharging, suspending or
reducing officer, hereinafter in this section referred to as
"removing officer", to show just cause for his or her action,
and in the event the removing officer fails to show just cause
for the action before the commission, then the member shall be reinstated with full pay, forthwith and without any additional
order, for the entire period during which the member may have
been prevented from performing his or her usual employment, and
no charges may be officially recorded against the member's
record. The member, if reinstated or exonerated, shall, if
represented by legal counsel, be awarded reasonable attorney
fees to be determined by the commission and paid by the
governing body. A written record of all testimony taken at the
hearing shall be kept and preserved by the commission, which
record shall be sealed and not be open to public inspection
unless an appeal is taken from the action of the commission.
(b) In the event the commission sustains the action of the
removing officer, the member has an immediate right of appeal
to the circuit court of the county wherein the city or the
major portion of the territory thereof is located. In the
event that the commission reinstates the member, the removing
officer has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court.
In the event either the removing officer or the member objects
to the amount of the attorney fees awarded to the member, the
objecting party has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit
court. Any appeal must be taken within ninety days from the
date of entry by the commission of its final order. Upon an
appeal being taken and docketed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county, the circuit court shall proceed to hear
the appeal upon the original record made before the commission
and no additional proof may be permitted to be introduced. The
circuit court's decision is final, but the member or removing
officer, as the case may be, against whom the decision of the
circuit court is rendered has the right to petition the supreme
court of appeals for a review of the circuit court's decision
as in other civil cases. The member or removing officer also
has the right, where appropriate, to seek, in lieu of an
appeal, a writ of mandamus. The member, if reinstated or
exonerated by the circuit court or by the supreme court of
appeals, shall, if represented by legal counsel, be awarded
reasonable attorney fees as approved by the court and the fees
shall be paid by the governing body.
(c) The removing officer and the member shall at all
times, both before the commission and upon appeal, be given the
right to employ counsel to represent them.
(d) If for reasons of economy or other reasons it is
deemed necessary by any Class I or Class II city to reduce the
number of paid members of its paid police department, the city
shall follow the procedure set forth in this subsection. The
reduction in members of the paid police department of the city
shall be effected by suspending the last person or persons, including probationers, who have been appointed to the paid
police department. The removal shall be accomplished by
suspending the number desired in the inverse order of their
appointment:
Provided, That in the event the said paid police
department is increased in numbers to the strength existing
prior to the reduction of members, the members suspended under
the terms of this subsection shall be reinstated in the inverse
order of their suspension before any new appointments to said
paid police department are made.
ARTICLE 15. FIRE FIGHTING; FIRE COMPANIES AND DEPARTMENTS;
CIVIL SERVICE FOR PAID FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
§8-15-25. Removal, discharge, suspension or reduction in rank
or pay; hearing; attorney fees; appeal;
reduction in number of members.
(a) No member of any paid fire department subject to the
civil service provisions of this article may be removed,
discharged, suspended or reduced in rank or pay except for just
cause, which may not be religious or political, except as
provided in section twenty-four of this article; and no such
member may be removed, discharged, suspended or reduced in rank
or pay except as provided by the civil service provisions of
this article, and in no event until the member has been
furnished with a written statement of the reasons for the
action. In every case of such removal, discharge, suspension or reduction, a copy of the statement of reasons therefor and
of the written answer thereto, if the member desires to file
such written answer, shall be furnished to the firemen's civil
service commission and entered upon its records. If the member
demands it, the commission shall grant a public hearing, which
hearing shall be held within a period of ten days from the
filing of the charges in writing or the written answer thereto,
whichever shall last occur. At the hearing, the burden shall
be upon the removing, discharging, suspending or reducing
officer, hereinafter in this section referred to as "removing
officer", to show just cause for his or her action, and in the
event the removing officer fails to show just cause for the
action before the commission, then the member shall be
reinstated with full pay, forthwith and without any additional
order, for the entire period during which the member may have
been prevented from performing his or her usual employment, and
no charges may be officially recorded against the member's
record. The member, if reinstated or exonerated, shall, if
represented by legal counsel, be awarded reasonable attorney
fees to be determined by the commission and paid by the
governing body. A written record of all testimony taken at the
hearing shall be kept and preserved by this commission, which
record shall be sealed and not be open to public inspection unless an appeal is taken from the action of the commission.
(b) In the event the commission sustains the action of the
removing officer, the member has an immediate right of appeal
to the circuit court of the county wherein the municipality or
the major portion of the territory thereof is located. In the
event that the commission reinstates the member, the removing
officer has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court.
In the event either the removing officer or the member objects
to the amount of the attorney fees awarded to the member, the
objecting party has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit
court. Any appeal must be taken within ninety days from the
date of entry by the commission of its final order. Upon an
appeal being taken and docketed with the clerk of the circuit
court of the county, the circuit court shall proceed to hear
the appeal upon the original record made before the commission
and no additional proof may be permitted to be introduced. The
circuit court's decision is final, but the member or removing
officer, as the case may be, against whom the decision of the
circuit court is rendered has the right to petition the supreme
court of appeals for a review of the circuit court's decision
as in other civil cases. The member or removing officer also
has the right, where appropriate, to seek, in lieu of an
appeal, a writ of mandamus. The member, if reinstated or exonerated by the circuit court or by the supreme court of
appeals, shall, if represented by legal counsel, be awarded
reasonable attorney fees as approved by the court and the fees
shall be paid by the governing body.
(c) The removing officer and the member shall at all
times, both before the commission and upon appeal, be given the
right to employ counsel to represent them.
(d) If for reasons of economy or other reasons it is
deemed necessary by any such municipality to reduce the number
of paid members of its paid fire department, the municipality
shall follow the procedure set forth in this subsection. The
reduction in members of the paid fire department of the
municipality shall be effected by suspending the last person or
persons, including probationers, who have been appointed to the
paid fire department. The removal shall be accomplished by
suspending the number desired in the inverse order of their
appointment:
Provided, That in the event the said paid fire
department is increased in numbers to the strength existing
prior to the reduction of members, the members suspended under
the terms of this subsection shall be reinstated in the inverse
order of their suspension before any new appointments to said
paid fire department are made.