CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates passed a three percent pay raise for state troopers, teachers and school service personnel Thursday.
The pay raise under HB 4765 will average about $1800 for those three groups of workers including about $1500 for teachers and $900 for school service personnel.
State law requires lawmakers to pass bills for pay raises for those three groups of workers because their salary schedules are in state code.
The House provides three percent raises for the remaining state workers in its proposed state budget that was passed by the House Finance Committee Thursday morning.
House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said the House should have included more workers in the bill and higher raises.
“West Virginia state employees on average, salaries are 25 to 30 percent less than our surrounding states,” Hornbuckle said.
Hornbuckle’s proposed amendment for a six percent raise was found not to be germane to the bill in Wednesday’s floor session.
Hornbuckle said state workers are being hit with a three percent increase in PEIA premiums in July so the pay raise is really a wash.
House Finance Committee Vice Chairman Clay Riley, R-Harrison, disagreed Thursday.
“On average a three percent pay increase for our state employee will be about 180-hundred dollars…the three percent PEIA premium on the best plan–176 dollars. We want to pay more but do not confuse three percent for three percent,” Riley said.
The pay raise heads to the state Senate.