LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF
DELEGATE BARBARA EVANS FLEISCHAUER, 1994-2004
Barbara Evans Fleischauer was first elected to the legislature in 1994 and served for ten years. During her tenure in the West Virginia House of Delegates, Ms. Fleischauer was successful in sponsoring and passing numerous bills. In addition, several pieces of legislation she drafted passed as amendments to other bills or in a Senate version of the bill she sponsored. Also, Barbara was able to secure funding for a number of important projects.
Two pieces of legislation relating to women are among her proudest accomplishments. The Equal Pay for Equal Work for State Employees Act and the Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Act both passed in 1998.
The Equal Pay bill established an Equal Pay Commission which was assigned the task of studying pay inequities in state employment, reviewing in particular the wage rates for occupational classifications dominated by one sex or the other. Additionally, the Commission is to make recommendations regarding how to fund any pay inequities that are discovered. Mrs. Fleischauer was appointed Co-Chair of the Commission. The Commission hired a consultant which found significant disparities and made recommendations on needed changes. Funding has been placed in the Budget every year since 2002 to address the disparities. State employees, 80% of them women in undervalued job classifications, have received over 2 million in raises.