H. B. 4627
(By Delegates Iaquinta, Kuhn, Swartzmiller, Paxton,
Poling, Tucker and Smirl)
(Originating in the Committee on Veterans Affairs
and Homeland Security)
[February 25, 2004]
A BILL to amend and reenact §9A-1-4 of the code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to duties and functions of
veterans' council; honoring academic achievement of West
Virginians at military academies.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §9A-1-4 of the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. DIVISION OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
§9A-1-4. Duties and functions of veterans' council; appointment
of director; term of office; removal; honoring
academic achievement at military academies.
(a) It is the duty and function of the veterans' council to
advise the director on the general administrative policies of the
division, to select, at their first meeting in each fiscal year
commencing on the first day of July, a chairman to serve one year,
to advise the director on rules as may be necessary, to advise the
governor and the Legislature with respect to legislation affecting the interests of veterans, their widows, dependents and orphans and
to make annual reports to the governor respecting the service of
the division. The director has the same eligibility and
qualifications prescribed for members of the veterans' council. The
governor shall appoint a director for a term of six years, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate. Before making the
appointment, the governor shall request the council of the West
Virginia division of veterans' affairs to furnish a full and
complete report concerning the qualifications and suitability of
the proposed appointee. The director may only be removed by the
governor for cause, but shall have upon his or her own request an
open hearing before the governor on the complaints or charges
lodged against him or her. The action of the governor shall be
final. The director ex officio shall be the executive secretary of
the veterans' council, keep the minutes of each meeting and be in
charge of all records of the division.
(b) The veterans' council may annually honor each West
Virginian graduating from the U. S. Military Academy, the U.S.
Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard
Academy with the highest grade point average by bestowing upon him
or her the "West Augusta Award". The award shall be in a design and
form established by the council and include the famous
Revolutionary War phrase from which the award's name is derived:
"Once again our brethren from West Augusta have answered the call
to duty." The council shall coordinate the manner of recognition of the recipient at graduation ceremonies with each academy.
The purpose of this bill is to honor academic performance of
West Virginians graduating from U.S. military academies.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.