WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2022 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 4807
By Delegates Walker and Hamrick
[Introduced February 15, 2022; Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Finance]
A BILL to amend and reenact §19-1-4a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring the Commissioner of Agriculture to provide grant money for pollinator friendly gardening and horticulture habitats.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
§19-1-4a. Commissioner authorized to accept gifts, etc., and enter into cooperative agreements.
The Commissioner of Agriculture
is hereby empowered and he or she shall have authority to may
accept and receive donations, gifts, contributions, grants, and appropriations
of money, services, materials, real estate or other things of value from the
United States Department of Agriculture, or any of its divisions or bureaus,
and he or she shall have authority to may use, utilize,
develop, or expend such money, services, material, or other contributions in
conformity with the conditions and provisions set forth in such grants,
appropriations, or donations: Provided, That the commissioner
shall also expend the money for grants to individuals, partnerships,
associations, or corporations, or nonprofit organizations to encourage the creation of large pollinator friendly gardening
and horticulture habitats to prevent extinction of “wild and wonderful” West
Virginia species.
By and with the approval of the Governor, the commissioner may accept and receive donations, gifts, contributions, and grants of money, services, materials, real estate, and other things of value from individuals, partnerships, associations, or corporations, and he or she shall have authority to utilize such contributions to encourage, promote and develop the agricultural interests or industries of the state.
The commissioner is
hereby empowered, and he shall have authority, to may enter into
agreements with any department of state government for the purpose of carrying
out any regulatory laws where or when any related functions or duties exist. He
or she shall also have authority to may enter into
agreements with any city council or county court of the State of West Virginia,
for carrying out the provisions of the agricultural laws over which he or
she has enforcement authority.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Commissioner of Agriculture to provide grant money for pollinator friendly gardening and horticulture habitats.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.