West Virginia Senate Bill SB880

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/21/25
• Refer: 3/21/25

Caption

Relating to powers and duties of Commissioner of Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation regarding Stevens Correctional Center

Summary

Senate Bill 880 would amend West Virginia law governing the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation to specifically address Stevens Correctional Center in McDowell County. The bill states that the commissioner of the division shall manage, direct, control, and govern the facility as part of the state correctional system, and it clarifies that the property, equipment, and assets associated with the center have been acquired by the State of West Virginia. It also declares that debt liability tied to prior county agreements has been paid or assumed by the state or the division. The bill further provides that county employees at Stevens Correctional Center would be transferred into the state classified service, with a one-year probationary period and retention of rank and accrued annual and sick leave. It also updates the list of institutions under the commissioner’s control and preserves the commissioner’s authority to contract for incarceration, juvenile detention, work-release, halfway houses, transitional housing, and related placements, including reimbursement authority for certain placements based on ability to pay and rehabilitation considerations.

Impact

SB 880 would primarily affect Chapter 15A, Article 3 of the West Virginia Code by adding a new section and revising existing language to codify the state’s authority over Stevens Correctional Center. It would formalize state ownership and operational control of the facility, transfer affected employees into state service, and clarify that the commissioner may continue or enter into contracts for housing inmates and juveniles at specified facilities. The bill also reinforces the commissioner’s broader authority over adult and juvenile correctional institutions and related placement options, while preserving legislative control over any conversion of facilities between juvenile and adult use.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally administrative and clarifying in nature, with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. Its stated purpose is to codify the commissioner’s powers and duties regarding Stevens Correctional Center, suggesting a practical effort to resolve ownership, operational, and employment questions tied to the facility’s transfer to state control. Because there are no transcripts or vote records, there is no documented opposition or support in the supplied context beyond the bill’s formal introduction and referral.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are the transfer of Stevens Correctional Center from county to state control, the treatment of McDowell County’s debt obligations, and the conversion of county employees into state classified employees with probationary status. Another possible issue is the bill’s broad delegation of contracting and placement authority to the commissioner, including reimbursement for halfway-house or transitional-housing placements based on ability to pay. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided record, but these provisions are the ones most likely to draw scrutiny.