West Virginia Senate Bill Would Limit Cities Power Over Wages

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Senate’s Workforce Committee has advanced a bill to limit the powers of cities and towns.

Senate Bill 399 prevents local governments from enacting ordinances or local policies that impose requirements on employers when it comes to employee wages and benefits. Among other things, the bill would prevent a city or town from making minimum wage higher than the state’s.

There are exceptions in the bill permitting municipalities to set standards for their own city employees and allowing for nondiscrimination ordinances.

“If a county commissioner doesn’t have the ability to do anything, then why are they there?” Democratic Sen. Richard Ojeda from Logan County asked during the committee meeting. “I kind of see this as stepping on their responsibilities.”

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