Bill
HB 5358
Authorizes the Highway Commissioner to offer locality-based pay to DOH employees in designated areas to improve staffing competitiveness and define funding and administration.
HB 5358 – Summary (West Virginia, 2026 Session)
Title
Authorizing the West Virginia Commissioner of Highways to offer locality pay to Division of Highways employees working in certain jurisdictions
Purpose and intent
- The bill authorizes and directs the West Virginia Commissioner of Highways to provide locality pay adjustments to Division of Highways (DOH) employees who work in certain jurisdictions.
- The underlying goal is to address recruitment, retention, and compensation competitiveness for DOH staff in designated areas where cost of living or market conditions may justify higher pay.
Key provisions and changes (what the bill would do)
- Authority for locality pay: Grants the Commissioner of Highways explicit authority to offer locality-based pay adjustments to DOH employees. This enables targeted salary supplements beyond the standard statewide pay scales.
- Scope and eligibility: Specifies that locality pay applies to DOH employees working in specified jurisdictions. The bill designates the required process or criteria to determine eligibility, amounts, and duration (e.g., which jurisdictions qualify, how adjustments are calculated, and whether adjustments are temporary or ongoing).
- Administration: The Commissioner would administer the locality pay program, including determining eligible positions, approving pay adjustments, and making related payroll changes.
- Funding and limits: The bill would establish or reference budgetary provisions or limits for funding locality pay, including potential sourcing of funds and any annual appropriation requirements.
- Compliance and reporting: Likely includes requirements for reporting, record-keeping, and ensuring compliance with state payroll and civil service rules (explicit or implied).
Who would be affected
- Primary: Division of Highways employees who work in the jurisdictions designated as eligible for locality pay.
- Administrative: DOH management and the Office of the Commissioner of Highways responsible for implementing, approving, and administering the locality pay program.
- Fiscal: State budget and finance offices coordinating funding and ensuring compliance with appropriations.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduction and sponsorship: Filed for introduction on 2026-02-09. Co-sponsors include Evan Hansen, John Williams, Kayla Young, and Mike Hornby.
- Committee referrals: Initially routed to House Energy and Public Works, then to Finance (as indicated by action history). This suggests the bill will undergo standard committee review, with potential hearings to assess fiscal impact and program design.
- Next steps to enactment: If advanced, the bill would pass through committee votes, potentially undergo amendments, and require floor passage in the House and then Senate (or the corresponding legislative chamber) followed by any required governor’s approval or veto considerations. Timelines would align with the 2026 session calendar and budget cycles.
Notes and considerations
- Specifics on what jurisdictions qualify, the calculation method for locality adjustments, and the exact dollar amounts or percentage premiums are not included in the provided text. Those details would be defined in the bill as introduced or in implementing regulations.
- The fiscal impact would depend on the number of eligible employees, the size of the locality premiums, and the duration of the adjustments, all of which would be addressed in committee discussions and budget analyses.
In short, HB 5358 would empower the Commissioner of Highways to implement targeted, locality-based pay increases for DOH employees in designated areas to improve staffing competitiveness, with appropriate administrative and funding mechanisms to support the program.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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