West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Introduced 9 R cosponsors

SB 587 — Adjusting salary schedule for elected county officials

Last action — Chapter 82, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2026 Session. It reached “Introduced” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey (Republican) on April 02, 2026.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

In plain language

This bill adjusts the salary schedule for elected county officials.

The bill proposes changes to how salaries are determined for elected county officials. It aims to modify the existing salary schedule to better reflect current conditions.

Summary

Adjusting salary schedule for elected county officials

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

208 added · 3 removed

Plain-language change summary

The changes to Senate Bill 587 primarily focus on increasing salaries for county officials in West Virginia, like commissioners and clerks. It removes the requirement for the Auditor to confirm that a county's finances are stable enough to support these salary increases, which simplifies the process and makes it easier for officials to get raises. Additionally, the amendment eliminates the need for officials to submit a written request for their salary increase before it takes effect. This matters because it provides more flexibility and financial support for county officials, which could improve their motivation and effectiveness in serving the community.

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Latest
SB587 SFAT Martin #1 3-14Johnson  7909 Senator Martin moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 587 B YSENATORS C LEMENTS, HAPMAN , HARNOCK , DEEDS , RADY, HAMILTO, HELTON, HILLIP, AKUBO, TARR, HORNE , ORRIS, OSE, WELD, ROBERTS,ANDZ.
Eng.
M AYNARD [Passed March 14, 2026;
Com.
to take effect July 1, 2026] Enr CS for CS for SB 587 AN ACT to amend and reenact §7-7-1 and §7-7-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to providing increased salaries for county commissioners, sheriffs, county clerks, circuit clerks, county assessors and prosecuting attorneys;
Sub.
making legislative findings;
for Senate Bill 587— A BILL to amend and reenact §7-7-1 and §7-7-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to adjusting the salary schedules for elected county officials;
eliminating requirement for the Auditor to certify that the fiscal condition of the county has sufficiently improved over the previous fiscal years so that there exists an amount sufficient for payment of the increase in salaries and related employment taxes;
eliminating duplicative budget certification by State Auditor;
and eliminating requirement that who desire to receive increased salary must prior to effective date of salary increase have filed in the office of clerk of the county commission his or her written request for the salary increase.
adding a mechanism for future salary increases;
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
and prohibiting salary adjustment in certain circumstances.
ARTICLE 7.
      AdoptedRejected
COMPENSATION OF ELECTED COUNTY OFFICIALS.
§7-7-1.
Legislative findings and purpose.
(a) The Legislature finds that it has, since January 1, 2023, consistently and annually imposed upon the county commissioners, sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors, and prosecuting attorneys in each county new and additional duties by the enactment of new provisions and amendments to this code.
The new and additional duties imposed upon the aforesaid county officials by these enactments are such that they would justify the increases in compensation as provided in §7-7-4 of this code, without violating the provisions of W.
Va.
Const.
Art.
VI, §38.
(b) The Legislature further finds that there are, from time to time, additional duties imposed upon all county officials through the acts of the Congress of the United States and that such acts constitute new and additional duties for county officials and, as such, justify the increases in compensation as provided by §7-7-4 of this code, without violating the provisions of W.
Va.
Const.
Art.
VI, §38.
(c) The Legislature further finds that there is a direct correlation between the total assessed property valuations of a county on which the salary levels of the county commissioners, Enr CS for CS for SB 587 sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors, and prosecuting attorneys are based, and the new and additional duties that each of these officials is required to perform as they serve the best interests of their respective counties.
Inasmuch as the reappraisal of the property valuations in each county has now been accomplished, the Legislature finds that a change in classification of counties by virtue of increased property valuations will occur on an infrequent basis.
However, it is the further finding of the Legislature that when such change in classification of counties does occur, that new and additional programs, economic developments, requirements of public safety and the need for new services provided by county officials all increase, that the same constitute new and additional duties for county officials as their respective counties reach greater heights of economic development, as exemplified by the substantial increases in property valuations and, as such, justify the increases in compensation provided in §7-7-4 of this code, without violating the provisions of W.
Va.
Const.
Art.
VI, §38.
(d) The Legislature further finds and declares that the amendments enacted to this article are intended to modify the provisions of this article so as to cause the same to be in full compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of West Virginia and to be in full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
§7-7-4.
Compensation of elected county officials and county commissioners for each class of county;
effective date.
(1) The increased salaries to be paid to the county commissioners and the other elected county officials described in this section on and after July 1, 2014, on and after July 1, 2022, and on and after July 1, 2026, are set out in subsections (2) and (4) of this section.
Every county commissioner and elected county official in each county, whose term of office commenced prior to or on or after July 1, 2014, shall receive the same annual salary by virtue of legislative findings of extra duties as set forth in §7-7-1 of this code.
(2) Prior to July 1, 2014:
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Class I $36,960 Enr CS for CS for SB 587 Class II $36,300 Class III $35,640 Class IV $34,980 Class V $34,320 Class VI $28,380 Class VII $27,720 Class VIII $25,080 Class IX $24,420 Class X $19,800 After June 30, 2014:
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Class I $41,395 Class II $40,656 Class III $39,917 Class IV $39,178 Class V $38,438 Class VI $31,786 Class VII $31,046 Class VIII $28,090 Class IX $27,350 Class X $22,176 After June 30, 2022:
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Class I $45,535 Class II $44,722 Class III $43,909 Enr CS for CS for SB 587 Class IV $43,096 Class V $42,282 Class VI $34,965 Class VII $34,151 Class VIII $30,899 Class IX $30,085 Class X $24,394 After June 30, 2026:
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Class I $47,812 Class II $46,958 Class III $46,104 Class IV $45,251 Class V $44,396 Class VI $36,713 Class VII $35,859 Class VIII $32,444 Class IX $31,589 Class X $25,614 (3) For the purpose of determining the salaries to be paid to the elected county officials of each county, the salaries for each county office by class, set out in subsection (4) of this section, are established and shall be used by each county commission in determining the salaries of each of their county officials other than salaries of members of the county commission.
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(4) Prior to July 1, 2014:
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS Enr CS for CS for SB 587 Prosecuting Sheriff County Clerk Circuit Clerk Assessor Attorney Class I $44,880 $55,440 $55,440 $44,880 $96,600 Class II $44,220 $54,780 $54,780 $44,220 $94,400 Class III $43,890 $53,460 $53,460 $43,890 $92,200 Class IV $43,560 $53,154 $53,154 $43,560 $90,000 Class V $43,230 $52,800 $52,800 $43,230 $87,800 Class VI $42,900 $49,500 $49,500 $42,900 $59,400 Class VII $42,570 $48,840 $48,840 $42,570 $56,760 Class VIII $42,240 $48,180 $48,180 $42,240 $54,120 Class IX $41,910 $47,520 $47,520 $41,910 $50,160 Class X $38,280 $42,240 $42,240 $38,280 $46,200 After June 30, 2014:
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS Sheriff County Clerk Circuit ClerkAssessor Prosecuting Attorney Class I $50,266 $62,093 $62,093 $50,266 $108,192 Class II $49,526 $61,354 $61,354 $49,526 $105,728 Class III $49,157 $59,875 $59,875 $49,157 $103,264 Class IV $48,787 $59,536 $59,536 $48,787 $100,800 Class V $48,418 $59,136 $59,136 $48,418 $98,336 Class VI $48,048 $55,440 $55,440 $48,048 $66,528 Class VII $47,678 $54,701 $54,701 $47,678 $63,571 Class VIII $47,309 $53,962 $53,962 $47,309 $60,614 Class IX $46,939 $53,222 $53,222 $46,939 $56,179 Class X $42,874 $47,309 $47,309 $42,874 $51,744 After June 30, 2022:
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS Sheriff County Clerk Circuit Clerk Assessor Prosecuting Attorney Class I $56,793 $68,302 $68,302 $56,793 $119,011 Class II $55,979 $67,489 $67,489 $55,979 $116,301 Class III $55,573 $65,863 $65,863 $55,573 $113,590 Class IV $55,166 $65,485 $65,485 $55,166 $110,880 Class V $54,760 $65,050 $65,050 $54,760 $108,170 Class VI $54,353 $60,984 $60,984 $53,853 $73,181 Class VII $53,946 $60,171 $60,171 $53,446 $69,928 Class VIII $53,540 $59,358 $59,358 $52,940 $66,675 Class IX $53,133 $58,544 $58,544 $52,533 $61,797 Class X $48,661 $52,040 $52,040 $47,811 $56,918 After June 30, 2026:
Enr CS for CS for SB 587 OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS Sheriff County Clerk Circuit Clerk Assessor Prosecuting Attorney Class I $59,633 $71,717 $71,717 $59,633 $124,962 Class II $58,778 $70,863 $70,863 $58,778 $122,116 Class III $58,352 $69,156 $69,156 $58,352 $119,270 Class IV $57,924 $68,759 $68,759 $57,924 $116,424 Class V $57,498 $68,303 $68,303 $57,498 $113,579 Class VI $57,071 $64,033 $64,033 $56,546 $76,840 Class VII $56,643 $63,180 $63,180 $56,118 $73,424 Class VIII $55,167 $62,326 $62,326 $55,587 $70,009 Class IX $55,790 $61,471 $61,471 $55,160 $64,887 Class X $51,094 $54,642 $54,642 $50,202 $59,764 (5) Any county clerk, circuit clerk, county assessor, prosecuting attorney, or sheriff of a Class I through Class V county, inclusive, any assessor or any sheriff of a Class VI through Class IX county, inclusive, shall devote full time to his or her public duties to the exclusion of any other employment:
Provided, That any public official whose term of office begins when his or her county’s classification imposes no restriction on his or her outside activities may not be restricted on his or her outside activities during the remainder of the term for which he or she is elected.
Enr CS for CS for SB 587 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.
To take effect July 1, 2026.
...............................................................
President of the Senate ...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 7
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Government Organization then Finance

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Government Organization

  5. Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

  6. To Finance

  7. Com. sub. for com. sub. reported

  8. Immediate consideration

  9. Read 1st time

  10. On 2nd reading

  11. Read 2nd time

  12. On 3rd reading with right to amend

  13. Read 3rd time

  14. Floor amendments adopted (Voice vote)

  15. Passed Senate (Roll No. 330)

  16. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 331)

  17. Ordered to House

  18. House received Senate message

  19. Introduced in House

  20. To Finance

  21. To House Finance

  22. With amendment, do pass

  23. Immediate consideration

  24. Read 1st time

  25. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  26. Read 2nd time

  27. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  28. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  29. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  30. Read 3rd time

  31. Passed House (Roll No. 540)

  32. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  33. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 541)

  34. Communicated to Senate

  35. House Message received

  36. Senate amended House amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 605)

  37. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 606)

  38. Senate requests House to concur

  39. House received Senate message

  40. Motion to limit debate to 5 minutes adopted (Roll No. 697)

  41. House refused to concur; requested Senate to recede (Voice)

  42. Communicated to Senate

  43. House Message received

  44. Senate receded and passed (Roll No. 709)

  45. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 710)

  46. Communicated to House

  47. Completed legislative action

  48. To Governor 3/19/2026

  49. To Governor 3/19/2026 - Senate Journal

  50. Became law 4/2/2026

  51. Became law without Governor's signature - Senate Journal

  52. Became law without Governor's signature- House Journal

  53. Chapter 82, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 15 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (15)

Not signed on (136)

136 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 136 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Roll Call

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Unaffiliated 1000
Democrat 4000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Yea
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Roll Call

Passed 33 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Democrat 4000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 33001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Not Voting
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 587 do?
Adjusting salary schedule for elected county officials
Who sponsors SB 587?
SB 587 is sponsored by Phillips, Takubo, Tarr, Morris, Rose, Weld, Roberts, Charles H. Clements (Republican), Laura Wakim Chapman (Republican), Anne B. Charnock (Republican), Vince Deeds (Republican), Amy Grady (Republican), Bill Hamilton (Republican), Brian Helton (Republican), Darren Thorne (Republican), and Zack Maynard (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 587?
This bill died with 2026 Session. It reached “Introduced” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 587?
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