COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 239
(By Senators McCabe, Foster, Palumbo, Wells and Kessler)
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[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization;
reported February 19, 2009.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §7A-7-4a, relating to
authorizing counties with a population exceeding 150,000 and
a Class I municipality
to approve metro government by a
majority vote.
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 §7A-7-4a
, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 7. ELECTIONS ON METRO GOVERNMENT.
§7A-7-4a. Approval of metro government in certain instances.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, elections
on the question of consolidation as it relates to metro government
held in any county with a population exceeding 150,000 and a Class
I municipality, based on the 2000 census, may be decided by a majority of the legal votes cast by the qualified voters of the
principal city and a majority of the legal votes cast by the
qualified voters of the affected county, excluding the principal
city.
(b) After approval by a majority vote, as set out in
subsection (a) of this section, then metro government becomes
effective pursuant to the charter.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit the voters of
Kanawha County to approve metro government
by a majority vote.