H. B. 2387

         (By Delegates Longstreth and Caputo)

         [Introduced January 12, 2011; referred to the

         Committee on Finance.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §7-1-3pp, relating to requiring county commissions to hold one monthly meeting in the evening.

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 §7-1-3pp, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 1. COUNTY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY.

§7-1-3pp. Monthly public meetings.

    The county commissions are required to regularly schedule and hold one public monthly meeting in the evenings at a place convenient to citizens of the county. The meetings are for the purpose of promoting citizens to meaningfully participate in issues that concern the public interest. The schedule of meetings, and their respective agendas, shall be published in a manner to maximize public involvement. Minutes of these meetings, and all other public meetings, held by a commission shall be made public and published in a manner to maximize their distribution within the county.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require county commissions to regularly schedule and hold one public monthly meeting in the evenings at a place convenient to citizens of the county. The bill states that the meetings are for the purpose of promoting citizens to meaningfully participate in issues that concern the public interest. Bill requires meetings’ schedules, agendas and minutes be published in a manner to maximize their distribution within the county.

    This section is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.