WEST virginia legislature
2026 regular session
Committee Substitute
for
Senate Bill 94
By Senator Hamilton
[Reported February 18, 2026, from the Committee on Economic Development]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding three new sections, designated §5B-12-1, §5B-12-2, and §5B-12-3, relating to the Robert C. Byrd Corridor H Highway Authority; continuing authority created by chapter 231, Acts of the Legislature, regular session, 1997; incorporating by reference chapter 231, Acts of the Legislature, regular session, 1997; providing for certain additional powers and duties; and requiring annual reporting to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
The Robert C. Byrd Corridor H Highway Authority previously created by chapter 231, Acts of the Legislature, regular session, 1997, is hereby continued, and the provisions contained therein are incorporated herein by reference with the same force and effect as though fully set forth herein.
(a) In addition to the powers set forth in Chapter 231, Acts of the Legislature of 1997, the Robert C. Byrd Corridor H Highway Authority may exercise all powers and duties necessary or appropriate to carry out its purposes including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Set specific tactical goals and demonstrable objectives via input from member counties and communities;
(2) Maintain an inclusive, rather than constraining, geographic focus on economic development;
(3) Seek out private-public partnerships to achieve its vision;
(4) Foster partnerships with groups in other states to help build broad support for the economic development and infrastructure projects undertaken in the geographic region of the Corridor H Authority;
(5) Seek governmental engagement for guidance on local, state, regional, or national
initiatives to achieve economic development objectives;
(6) Develop economic and tourism asset portfolios for inclusion of the authority’s vision;
(7) Acquire, own, hold, and dispose of property, real and personal, tangible and intangible;
(8) Lease property, whether as lessee or lessor, and to acquire or grant through easement, license, or other appropriate legal form, the right to develop and use property and open it to the use of the public;
(9) Mortgage or otherwise grant security interests on its property;
(10) Procure insurance against any losses in connection with its property, license, or easements, contracts, including hold-harmless agreements, operations, or assets in such amounts and from such insurers as the authority considers desirable;
(11) Maintain such sinking funds and reserves as the authority determines appropriate for the purposes of meeting future monetary obligations and needs of the authority;
(12) Contract for the provision of legal services by private counsel and, notwithstanding any other provision of the code to the contrary, the counsel may, in addition to the provisions of other legal services, represent the authority in court, negotiate contracts and other agreements on behalf of the authority, render advice to the authority on any matter relating to the authority, prepare contracts and other agreements, and provide such other legal services as may be requested by the authority;
(13) Appoint officers, agents, and employees, and contract for and engage the services of consultants;
(14) Make contracts of every kind and nature, and to execute all instruments necessary or convenient for carrying on its business, including contracts with any other governmental agency of this state or of the federal government, or with any person, individual, partnership, or corporation to effect any or all of the purposes of this article;
(15) Without, in any way, limiting any other provision of this section, accept grants and loans from, and enter into contracts and other transactions with, any federal agency; and
(16) Accept gifts or grants of property, funds, security interests, money, materials, labor, supplies, or services from the federal government or from any governmental unit or any person, firm, or corporation and to carry out the terms or provisions of, or make agreements with respect to, or pledge any gifts or grants and to do any and all things necessary, useful, desirable, or convenient in connection with the procuring, acceptance, or disposition of gifts or grants.
(b) No liability or obligation is incurred by the authority beyond the extent to which money is awarded for grant acquisition facilitation.
On or before December 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Robert C. Byrd Corridor H Highway Authority shall prepare and submit to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance a written report, which may be transmitted electronically, detailing its undertakings for the past year, including, but not limited to, all projects and any private-public partnerships entered into, as well as any recommended legislation or policy actions needed to facilitate greater economic development along the corridor.