WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2465

By Delegates Anders, White, Ridenour, Kump, Kimble, Dean, and Bridges

[Introduced February 17, 2025; referred to the Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding three new sections, designated §7-28-1, §7A-9-1, and §8-40-1, relating to prohibiting counties, towns, and municipalities from using tax money to hire lobbyists to represent the counties, towns, and municipalities at state level.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Chapter 7. county commissions and officers.

article 28. impermissible lobbying.

§7-28-1. Ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying at state level.

No county commission may use monies from taxes collected to pay for the services of a lobbyist to represent the county at the state level.

Chapter 7A. consolidated Local Government.

article 9. impermissible lobbying.

§7A-9-1. Ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying at state level.

No governing body of any consolidated local government may use monies from taxes collected to pay for the services of a lobbyist to represent the consolidated local government at the state level.

Chapter 8. municipal corporations.

article 40. impermissible lobbying.

§8-40-1. Ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying at state level.

No governing body of any municipality, town, village, city, or other municipal corporation may use monies from taxes collected to pay for the services of a lobbyist to represent the municipal corporation at the state level.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit counties, towns, and municipalities from using tax money to hire lobbyists to represent the counties, towns, and municipalities at state level.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.