ENROLLED

Senate Bill No. 83

(Originating in the Committee on Government Organization.)

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[Passed March 27, 1997; in effect ninety days from passage.]

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AN ACT to amend and reenact section four, article eleven, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to continuing the West Virginia human rights commission until the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article eleven, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 11. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
§5-11-4. Human rights commission continued; status, powers and

objects.
The West Virginia human rights commission, heretofore created, is hereby continued. The commission shall have the power and authority and shall perform the functions and services as in this article prescribed and as otherwise provided by law. The commission shall encourage and endeavor to bring about mutual understanding and respect among all racial, religious and ethnic groups within the state and shall strive to eliminate all discrimination in employment and places of public accommodations by virtue of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, blindness or handicap and shall strive to eliminate all discrimination in the sale, purchase, lease, rental or financing of housing and other real property by virtue of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, blindness, handicap or familial status.
Pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, the West Virginia human rights commission shall continue to exist until the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.