WEST virginia Legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 324

By Senators Beach and Romano

[Introduced February 15, 2017; Referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §4-1-2a; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-1A-6, all relating to prohibiting the Governor and Legislature from administering equal across-the-board budget cuts to all higher education; and protecting community colleges from disproportionate budget cuts.

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 §4-1-2a; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-1A-6, all to read as follows:

CHAPTER 4. THE LEGISLATURE.

ARTICLE 1. OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES; APPROPRIATIONS; INVESTIGATIONS; DISPLAY OF FLAGS; RECORDS; USE OF CAPITOL BUILDING; PREFILING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS; STANDING COMMITTEES; INTERIM MEETINGS; NEXT MEETING OF THE SENATE.

§4-1-2a. Limitations on certain budget cuts to higher education.

(a) Prohibition. -- The Legislature is prohibited from administering equal across-the-board budget cuts to all higher education.

(b) Community college protections. -- Budget cuts to community colleges shall not exceed fifty percent of the budget cuts imposed upon four-year institutions within the same fiscal year.

CHAPTER 5. GENERAL POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR, SECRETARY OF STATE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL; BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS; MISCELLANEOUS AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS, OFFICES, PROGRAMS, ETC.

ARTICLE 1A. ITEMIZATION OF PROPOSED APPROPRIATIONS IN BUDGET BILL SUBMITTED BY GOVERNOR TO LEGISLATURE.

§5-1A-6. Limitations on certain budget cuts to higher education.

(a) Prohibition. -- The Governor is prohibited from administering equal across-the-board budget cuts to all higher education.

(b) Community college protections. -- Budget cuts to community colleges shall not exceed fifty percent of the budget cuts imposed upon four-year institutions within the same fiscal year.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the Governor and Legislature from administering equal across-the-board budget cuts to all higher education and to protect community colleges from disproportionate budget cuts.

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