Provide for a raise for private investigators hired by public defender offices or court appointed panel attorneys

HB 4998 increases the hourly pay rate for private investigators working with West Virginia public defender offices or court-appointed panel attorneys, raising it from $30 to $45 per hour. The bill amends existing law to directly affect these investigators by changing their compensation rate without altering application or payment processes. This is a straightforward pay adjustment targeting a specific group of public service workers who support indigent defense cases. The change applies to all such investigators employed under public defender services or court-appointed panels across the state.