H. B. 3050
(By Delegates J. Miller, Blair, Overington
and Cowles)
[Introduced
March 10, 2009
; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §56-6-14a, relating
to disclosure by a judicial officer of campaign contributions.
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 §56-6-14a, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 6. TRIAL.
§56-6-14a. Contributions disclosure.
(a) On or before January 1 of each calendar year, the
Secretary of State shall supply to each circuit clerk and the clerk
of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals a list of all
attorneys who have donated more than $250 to: (1) The election
campaign of a candidate for judicial office, including magistrates,
family court judges, circuit court judges and justices of the
Supreme Court of Appeals; or (2) any campaign for or against the election of a candidate for judicial office:
Provided, That if a
candidate has not provided the donors' occupations, the Secretary
shall make a good faith effort to determine those occupations.
(b) In matters before any judicial officer, including when a
jury has been empaneled, immediately following the completion of
voir dire, if applicable, and before testimony is taken, the clerk
shall inform, in writing, members of the jury and trial counsel of:
(1) All election contributions greater than $250 that the
judicial officer has ever received;
(2) All election contributions greater than $250 that
advocated for or against the election of the judicial officer; and
(3) All election contributions of more than $250 that the
judicial officer has ever received from any attorney in the
proceeding before the court, including the specific amount given by
each attorney and the date the contribution was made. The clerk
shall also cause a copy of this information to be entered into the
record.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require disclosure by
judicial officers of campaign contributions in excess of $250.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.