H. B. 2096
(By Delegate Louisos)
[Introduced February 9, 2005; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-23g
, relating
to the creation of a New River and Gauley River Citizens'
Board to help resolve access issues to those rivers.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-23g, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.
§20-2-23g. New River and Gauley River Citizens' Board.
(a) There is hereby created a New River and Gauley River
Citizens' Board Commission within the Division of Natural
Resources. The Board shall consist of the Director of the Division
of Natural Resources or his or her designee who shall be an ex
officio member; four sportsmen from the locality of the New River and Gauley River; three members representing businesses in the
locality of the New River and Gauley River; two representatives of
the whitewater business on the New River and Gauley River; all of
whom are to be appointed by the Governor. All appointed members of
the Board shall be citizens and residents of West Virginia. The
Director of the Division of Natural Resources shall serve as
chairperson of the commission. Of the nine members of the Board
first appointed by the Governor, three shall be appointed for a
term of one year, three for a term of two years and three for a
term of three years. Thereafter, the terms of all appointed
members of the Board are for three years. Members shall serve
until their successors have been appointed and any vacancy in the
office of a member shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired
term.
(b) The Board shall hear complaints and suggestions from
citizens of the areas of the New River and Gauley River relating to
access to the New River and Gauley River and communicate with the
national park service in order to resolve these issues.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a New River and
Gauley River Citizens' Board to help resolve access issues to those
rivers.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.