SB 924 West Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Streamlining and reforming Division of Personnel systems

SB 924 streamlines West Virginia's state personnel systems by eliminating special merit-based hiring systems for Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau for Social Services employees. It transfers their personnel duties to the Division of Personnel, exempts new hires and promotions in the Department of Transportation from civil service rules and grievance procedures starting July 1, 2026, and terminates the State Personnel Board. The bill clarifies definitions of "classified" and "classified-exempt" service, shortens job posting timelines, and modernizes how classified job openings are advertised. These changes directly affect state employees in the specified agencies by shifting their personnel administration to a unified system under the Division of Personnel.

Issues: ✗ Labor & Employment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill transitions West Virginia's personnel systems from a fragmented model with special exemptions for specific agencies to a centralized system managed by the Division of Personnel. It terminates the State Personnel Board and transfers its authority to the Division of Personnel. Effective July 1, 2026, the Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau for Social Services lose their special merit-based personnel systems and are integrated into the standard classified civil service system, though their existing job classifications and compensation structures are preserved.

Scope change

The bill significantly narrows the scope of special personnel exemptions. Previously, the Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau for Social Services operated under unique merit-based systems separate from the general civil service. These exemptions are abolished on July 1, 2026, bringing all employees in these agencies under the standard Division of Personnel oversight, except for those who remain in their current positions where they retain their existing status and rights.

TIMELINE

The special merit-based personnel systems for the Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau for Social Services are abolished effective July 1, 2026.

DEFINITION

The State Personnel Board is terminated, and its powers, duties, and records are transferred to the Division of Personnel.

REQUIREMENT

Employees in the Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau for Social Services who leave their current positions on or after July 1, 2026, will be transferred to the classified-exempt service system and exempt from state grievance procedures.

The Division of Personnel is prohibited from modifying job classifications, specifications, or compensation structures established by the affected agencies prior to July 1, 2026, without the consent of the respective agency secretaries.

ELIGIBILITY

New hires and promoted employees in the Department of Transportation and the Bureau for Social Services are now subject to the standard classified civil service system and state grievance procedures starting July 1, 2026.

SCOPE

Provisions allowing the addition of positions to the classified service during specific time windows were removed.

Floor votes

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No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

To Finance

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

To Government Organization

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

To Government Organization then Finance

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors