The Senate Finance Committee met at 1:30 p.m.
The committee looked at 13 bills on the agenda.
Senator Craig Blair (R – Berkeley, 15) said he included so many bills as house cleaning so next week the committee can focus on S. B. 152, The Budget Bill.
The committee heard from counsel a general overview for the Com. Sub. for the Budget Bill. Counsel is estimating the bill currently with the old Fiscal Year 2019 Official Estimate provided by the Governor on January 10 and bills that are curently passed. The bill will be adjusted within the next few days to be updated as legislation is passed.
The committee considered H. B. 4145, Increasing the annual salaries of members of the West Virginia State Police, public school teachers and school service personnel.
Senator Gregory Boso (R – Nicholas, 11) proposed an amendment to the bill to lower the raise for teachers, school service personnel and state police officers from 5 percent to 4 percent.
The committee discussed raising the salaries of all public employees not mentioned in H. B. 4145 with the one percent taken from the teachers, school service personnel and state police. Public employee salaries are set in the Budget Bill and the discussed raise for their salaries would be in a proposed amendment to the Budget Bill in the future. The increase would not be included in H. B. 4145.
According to Boso public employees have not had a raise in 12 years.
Senator John Unger (D – Berkeley, 16) spoke against the amendment, arguing that the proposed raise would keep teachers, school service personnel and state police in line with inflation.
Boso’s amendment was adopted by the committee and the bill as amended was reported out of committee.
The bill as repoted by committee will be taken up and deliberated on the floor following the committee’s adjournment.
