WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 160

Senators Sypolt, Beach, Clements, Hamilton, Stollings, Pitsenbarger, Romano, and Facemire, original sponsors

[Originating in the Committee on Natural Resources; reported on January 22, 2020]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-33c, relating to West Virginia University Rifle Team electronic application donation program; including solicitation for voluntary donation to West Virginia University Rifle Team on application for hunting or fishing electronic license; providing opportunity to designate donation in any amount; creating special account; establishing funding sources; specifying terms for expenditures; authorizing disbursements and administrative fee; and requiring annual reports.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

§20-2-33c.  Electronic application donation to West Virginia University Rifle Team; special fund created; authorized disbursements.

(a) Every application for a hunting or fishing electronic license shall include a solicitation for a voluntary donation to the West Virginia University Rifle Team.

(b) The license applicant will be offered an opportunity to designate a donation in any amount to the West Virginia University Rifle Team.

(c) All moneys collected shall be deposited in a special account in the State Treasury to be known as the “West Virginia University Rifle Team Program Fund”. Funds paid into this account may also be derived from the following sources:

(1) All interest or return on investment accruing to this account;

(2) Any gifts, grants, bequests, transfer, appropriations, or other donations which may be received from any government entity or unit or any person, firm, foundation, or corporation; and

(3) Any appropriations by the Legislature which may be made for the purposes of this section.

Any balance including accrued interest and other earnings at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the West Virginia University Rifle Team Program Fund for the purposes set forth in this section.

(d) Expenditures from the West Virginia University Rifle Team Program Fund shall be for the purposes set forth in this section. The moneys in the West Virginia University Rifle Team Program Fund will be paid out at least annually by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources to the West Virginia University Foundation Rifle Team Account: Provided, That the Division of Natural Resources shall deduct no more than five percent of donations derived under this section as an administrative fee to recover processing costs prior to transferring any money to the West Virginia University Foundation Rifle Team Account: Provided, however, That the Division of Natural Resources is absolved of all responsibilities established pursuant to this section if the West Virginia University Rifle Team ceases to exist. 

(e) The agency shall, following the close of each fiscal year, prepare an annual report detailing the categories of expenditures from the West Virginia University Rifle Team Program Fund and listing all sources of revenue as well as a closing balance for the year. The report shall be submitted in an electronic format to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance no later than eight weeks after the close of the fiscal year.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a program for voluntary donations to the West Virginia University Rifle Team in applications for hunting and fishing electronic licenses and an associated non-appropriated fund to receive the donations.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.