WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 222

By Senators Rucker and Hunt

[Introduced January 13, 2023; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-5-19e, relating to requiring the State Superintendent of Schools to create an adult education taskforce to consider options for direct funding of adult education learning centers; and providing for membership of the taskforce, hearings, rulemaking, and report to the Legislature with recommendations.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-5-19e. Adult Education taskforce.

(a) The State Superintendent of Schools shall establish in the state Department of Education a taskforce to consider options for direct funding of adult education learning centers.

(b) The Legislature finds that:

(1) While adult learning centers are part of the state Department of Education, that department is not obligated to fund these adult learning centers;

(2) Funding for adult learning centers derives its income from many areas without any regularity;

(3) A taskforce to study and consider funding options, the existing funding sources, and the best approach to provide direct funding for the adult learning centers would stabilize the regularity of funding these centers.

(c) The taskforce shall include the State Superintendent of Schools, or designee of the superintendent, the head of the adult education learning centers, and geographically diverse representatives from the community, including representation from business, and the community college system, appointed by the Governor. The state board shall promulgate a rule in accordance with §29A-3B-1 et seq. of this code to implement the taskforce.

(d) The rule shall provide for number of members of the taskforce and eligibility to serve and that meetings of the taskforce shall be open to the public and follow the Open Governmental Meetings Act.

(e) The taskforce shall begin August 2023 and prepare a report of recommendations for the Legislature by December 2023.

(f) The superintendent may establish any other requirements required to effect the purposes of the taskforce.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the State Superintendent of Schools to create an adult education taskforce to consider options for direct funding of adult education learning centers.

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