FISCAL NOTE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
FISCAL NOTE
House Bill 4657
By Delegate Steele
[Introduced January 12, 2024; 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 providing a housing allowance of $2,000 per month for designated state constitutional officers to assist in residing in the seat of state government.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
(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) or subsection (b) of this section, beginning calendar year 2025, and beginning in the calendar year of each fourth year thereafter, the salary of the Governor shall be set by the Salary Table For Locality Pay Area of Rest of U.S. as published by the United States Office of Personnel Management. The salary of the Governor shall be equal to the amount set as Grade 15, Step 10 on the Salary Table For Locality Pay Area of Rest of U.S. at the beginning of that calendar year and shall not be increased or diminished for the duration of the four year term of office beginning in that calendar year.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section, beginning calendar year 2025, and beginning in the calendar year of each fourth year thereafter, the salary of the Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Treasurer shall be set by the Salary Table General Schedule Increase as published by the United States Office of Personnel Management. The salary of the Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Treasurer shall be equal to the amount set as Grade 15, Step 4 on the Salary Table General Schedule Increase at the beginning of that calendar year and shall not be increased or diminished for the duration of the four year terms of each of those offices beginning in that calendar year.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section, beginning in the calendar year 2025, and for each calendar year thereafter, a monthly housing allowance for each of the state constitutional officers shall be as follows:
(1) The housing allowance of the Attorney General shall be $2,000 per month, provided the housing allowance is used for providing housing in the seat of state government;
(2) The housing allowance of the Auditor shall be $2,000 per month, provided the housing allowance is used for providing housing in the seat of state government;
(3) The salary of the Secretary of State shall be $2,000 per month, provided the housing allowance is used for providing housing in the seat of state government;
(4) The salary of the Commissioner of Agriculture shall be $2,000 per month, provided it is used for providing housing in the seat of state government; and
(5) The salary of the State Treasurer shall be $2,000 per month, provided it is used for providing housing in the seat of state government.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide a housing allowance of $2,000 per month for designated state constitutional officers to assist in residing in the seat of state government.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.