Senator Ron Stollings (D—Boone), said Monday that the senate will likely pass some sort of pay raise for public school teachers as well as other state employees, and it is likely to be a permanent one, not just a one-time payment.

“I support a pay raise for all state employees,” Stollings said. “We just have to decide on a way for the taxpayers to foot the bill.”

In his state of the state speech last month, Gov. Joe Manchin proposed setting a minimum starting salary for new teachers hired in the state of $30,000, a 2.5% pay raise for current teachers and a bonus of some type.

Since that speech, public school teachers representatives have lobbied the legislature, and at least two county teacher groups have threatened a strike if lawmakers don’t grant instructors a sufficient pay hike.

In other matters, Stollings said he was working on including an amendment on post-mine land use that allowed developers to use water for projects such as housing developments. “This would help economic development all over southern West Virginia.” he noted.

Stollings said he is working as Vice Chair of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee to take a look at attempts by the West Virginia Health Care Authority to define what a diagnostic center is. “This change might limit the ability of health care providers to refer their patients to specialists for diagnostic tests and it needs more scrutiny,” the senator told CVN.

The senator, who is also a long-time physician in Madison, is supporting a bill that would hopefully lessen the dangers of second-hand smoke. Stollings said the bill would prohibit adults from smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes while in a motor vehicle with children present.

“The dangers of second-hand smoke have been proven,” Stollings said. “Confining a child in a car with someone who is smoking is something we need to find a way to prohibit. I remember when I was a child, riding in a car with older relatives who smoked, and how much it bothered me.” The senator said he felt the bill, which was in the senate, had an excellent chance of passing and proceeding to the West Virginia House of Delegates.

Stollings also sought to clarify a bill on self defense that passed the senate last week. Senators passed SB197, which clarified the rights of citizens to defend themselves against attackers. The bill, as written, would redefine the criminal and civil repercussions against anyone attacked in their home, residence, or automobile.

“This was a good bill which both senators and National Rifle Association representatives were happy with,” Stollings told CVN. “If someone breaks in on me, I want the right to get my 38 special and defend myself,” he said. An amendment defeated at the last minute was reported as stripping away civil protections for victims if they shot or wounded a burglar or assailant during an attack,” he said. “That wasn’t what it was. It was an amendment that stated that if someone lived in your home before you, and broke in looking for something they believed they left there and you defended yourself, you could be liable in civil court. The senate defeated that, not your right not to be sued if you defend yourself.”

The end of last week’s session was supposed to include a fun event involving Stollings, but didn’t quite turn out that way.

“I represented the 7th district in the Dick Henderson Basketball Game, which benefited the American Cancer Society,” he said. “I ended up rupturing my Achilles Tendon, which I required surgery on Friday. I’m hopping around on crutches now, and will be in a cast for a couple more months.” He said the injury, while being painful and embarrassing, will not keep him from finishing out his first time in the senate, as well as seeing patients in his medical practice. “I was at Boone Memorial Hospital on Sunday, taking care of paperwork and seeing patients,” Stollings said.