Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers will consider a new pay structure for probation officers, as well as a new category of probation officers who would be able to handle a variety of cases.

That certification could net a higher starting salary, around $35,000 a year for most probation officers, according to a plan that probation officials presented Wednesday to the Justice and Public Safety Appropriations Committee.

Currently, some community-level officers manage as many as 100 cases each while specialized officers, such as those who handle sex offenders, have far fewer – an average of 20 to 30.

The plan has been approved by the state Personnel Commission but is not yet funded. It's unclear how much the Legislature is able to fund from this year's budget.