The Senate passed 11 bills during Wednesday morning’s floor session.
Among the bills passed, Senate Bill 670 would adopt the Uniform Protected Series Act. The legislation would provide the the Commissioner of Highways with the authority to grant locality pay to Division of Highways employees working in jurisdictions where additional compensation is needed to help recruit and retain staff.
Under this legislation, the commissioner can approve a pay differential that allows employees to receive up to $10,000 above their regular salary or hourly rate, even if this exceeds their standard salary range for their job classification.
The purpose of this locality pay is to make certain geographic areas or positions more competitive in attracting and keeping qualified workers. The commissioner will need to propose specific rules for implementing this pay program, which will require approval from the legislature according to the state’s administrative procedures.
This approach allows for targeted, location-specific compensation adjustments to address workforce challenges in particular areas or for specific job roles within the Division of Highways.
The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for further consideration.
Also on Wednesday, the body adopted Senate Resolution 49, which commends volunteers for their recovery efforts in the aftermath of flooding at Chief Logan State Park.
Senator Rupie Phillips (R-Logan, 07) described both his role and the heroic role of volunteers and local coal company employees, in helping in the recovery efforts following a May 2025 flood at Chief Logan State Park.
UPDATE:
The Senate returned at 4:30 to receive committee reports and read select bills a first time.
The following Senate Bills were read a first time: SB 63, SB 141, SB 194, SB 644, SB 714, and SB 954.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m.
Morning Meetings for Feb. 26:
Education at 9:30 a.m. in 451M
Government Organization at 9:30 a.m. in 208W
