Senate Bill No. 72
(By Senator Deem)
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[Introduced January 16, 1996; referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary.]
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A BILL to amend article three, chapter seven of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended,by adding thereto a new section, designated section
nineteen; and to amend article twelve, chapter eight of said
code by adding thereto a new section, designated section
twenty, all relating to counties and municipalities; and
granting immunity to local government from civil liability
in lawsuits.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article three, chapter seven of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section nineteen; and that article twelve, chapter eight of said code be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section
twenty, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 7. COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND THEIR OFFICERS.
ARTICLE 3. COUNTY PROPERTY.
§7-3-19. Counties immune from suit and civil liability.
A county government or any of its subdivisions of the state
of West Virginia may not be made defendant in any court of law
or equity, except the county, including any subdivision thereof,
or any officer, agent, or employee thereof, may be made defendant
in any garnishment or attachment proceeding, as garnishee or
suggestee. This section, being necessary for the welfare and
public requirements of the public of the several counties, shall
be liberally construed to effectuate the purpose thereof.
CHAPTER 8. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.
ARTICLE 12. GENERAL AND SPECIFIC POWERS, DUTIES AND ALLIED
RELATIONS OF MUNICIPALITIES, GOVERNING BODIES AND MUNICIPAL
OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; SUITS AGAINST MUNICIPALITIES.
§8-12-20. Municipalities immune from suit and civil liability.
Municipalities of the state of West Virginia may not be
made defendant in any court of law or equity, except
municipalities of the state of West Virginia, including any subdivision thereof, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof,
may be made defendant in any garnishment or attachment
proceeding, as garnishee or suggestee.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make local government
immune from civil liability and lawsuits.
§7-3-19 and §8-12-20 are new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.