The bill amends various sections of the West Virginia Code to grant the Supreme Court of Appeals the discretion to establish uniform pay scales for judicial support staff, including magistrate court clerks, magistrate assistants, magistrate court deputy clerks, and family court secretary-clerks. Specifically, the annual salaries for these positions, previously set at fixed amounts, will now be determined by a pay scale established by the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court. This change applies to magistrate court clerks, magistrate assistants, magistrate court deputy clerks, and family court secretary-clerks, with the previous fixed salaries being deleted from the law.

Additionally, the bill allows for general salary increases for these positions, similar to those granted to other state employees, which can be implemented after July 1, 2023. The bill also includes provisions for the Supreme Court of Appeals to create additional classifications of support staff as necessary for the efficient operation of family courts, with their salaries also being determined by the established pay scale. Overall, the bill aims to modernize the compensation structure for judicial support staff in West Virginia, ensuring that salaries are aligned with broader state employee compensation practices.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 50-1-8, 50-1-9, 50-1-9a, 51-2A-6
Engrossed Version: 50-1-8, 50-1-9, 50-1-9a, 51-2A-6