TAZEWELL (WVVA) -- Controversy in the Commonwealth after a pay raise for Sheriff's Deputies is blocked in the General Assembly.

"We haven't had a pay increase since Governor Northam took office," explained Major Harold Heatley of the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office. "He's not put a pay raise in his budget for Deputy Sheriffs."

Senator Bill Stanley of Virginia's 20th District looked to change that in the 2020 Session. He introduced an amendment to the Commonwealth's budget that would offer a 3% pay raise to the men and women of Virginia's Sheriff's Departments.

After the vote, Stanley took to Facebook where he claimed Majority Leader Dick Saslaw approached him and said Virginia's Deputies aren't receiving a raise because they rallied against proposed gun control measures in Richmond.

Sheriff Hieatt, Major Heatley and several deputies were among those in Richmond on Lobby Day.

"For us to get slapped in the face and told because we stood up for the constitution, we aren't gonna get a 3 percent pay raise -- that's just disrespectful," Heatley said. "So basically we're being told, 'you will support these anti-gun bills or we're not gonna give you a pay raise.'"

According to the Washington Post, the Senate's two-year budget plan would give deputies a $200 bonus in the first year and a 3 percent raise in the second. Deputies will receive the one-time $200 bonus this year -- and the 3% increase will be up for consideration again next year.

"Should Senator Saslaw or his family, or any of the Senators or Delegates or their family members call for the assistance of a Deputy Sheriff -- they will come. They will not hold any grudge against them," said Heatley. "But because we don't support their amendments, their anti gun legislation.. we're being punished."

Senator Saslaw has not returned WVVA's request for comment.

We will continue to monitor the situation for further developments.