H. B. 4647
(By Delegate Beach)
[Introduced February 18, 2008; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §7-1-14, relating to
requiring county commissions to hold public hearings to gather
public opinion and comments prior to public question
elections.
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 §7-1-14, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 1. COUNTY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY.
§7-1-14. Public hearings on public question elections.
(a) Before each election at which there is a public question
to be voted upon, the county commission shall hold at least two
public hearings to gather public opinion and comments. Opinion and
comments may be presented orally, in writing or by other easily
reproducible medium. The county commission shall hold all hearings
under this section at least ninety days prior to the applicable election.
(b) For purposes of the section "public question" has the same
definition provided in section two, article one, chapter three of
this code. "Public question" does not include a Board of Education
special election or a Board of Education bond issue or special
levy.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require county
commissions to hold public hearings to gather public opinion and
comments prior to public question elections.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.