Providing enhanced pay for State Police

SB 849 proposes a market-based pay adjustment for West Virginia State Police troopers, directly affecting troopers employed in counties where base salaries fall below regional competitiveness. The bill calculates a pay multiplier by comparing the median home price in a trooper's specific region (including contiguous counties in border states) to West Virginia's statewide median home price, then applying this to average local law enforcement salaries. This adjustment would be implemented starting July 15, 2026, and recalculated every five years using data from the National Association of Realtors. The law requires the State Police to certify the calculation to the State Auditor and mandates that funds for this enhancement are in addition to minimum salary schedules.