SB 606 Text

Senate Bill No. 606
(By Senators McCabe, Helmick, Browning, Bowman, Barnes, Kessler, Foster, D. Facemire, Plymale, Minard and Chafin)
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[Introduced February 18, 2010; referred to the Committee on Economic Development; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §4-14-1, §4-14-2, §4-14-3, §4-14-4, §4-14-5, §4-14-6 and §4-14-7, all relating to creating the West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission to encourage and foster the continued development of the state's ski resort industry.

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 article, designated §4-14-1, §4-14-2, §4-14-3, §4-14-4, §4-14-5, §4-14-6 and §4-14-7, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 14. WEST VIRGINIA SKI RESORT INDUSTRY COMMISSION.

§4-14-1. Findings; West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission established.

(a) The Legislature finds that the ski resort industry plays an important role in West Virginia's tourism economy and has significant potential for even greater growth and economic impact on the state's economy if properly developed.
(b) The Legislature finds that West Virginia's eastern mountains have the topography and the weather to present a ski product that rivals that of the New England states, yet after thirty-five years our ski industry is still well short of this potential.
(c) The Legislature further finds that if the potential described in subsection (b) of this section is reached, West Virginia will see the addition of several hundred million dollars per year into its economy.
(d) There is hereby created the West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission to encourage and foster the continued development of the state's ski resort industry.

§4-14-2. Membership; terms; filling vacancies; election of chair and vice chair.

(a) The Governor shall appoint three members as follows:

(1) The Secretary of the Department of Commerce, or a designee; and
(2) Two citizen members with knowledge or expertise in the ski resort industry;
(b) The Speaker of the House of Delegates shall appoint three members of the House of Delegates.
(c) The President of the Senate shall appoint three members of the Senate.
(d) The members shall serve from July 1, 2010, until October 31, 2011.
(e) Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
(f) The commission shall elect a chair and a vice chair from among its members.
§4-14-3. Expense reimbursement.
(a) Members shall serve without compensation.
(b) Commission members may be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of duties as a commission member, in a manner consistent with the guidelines of the travel management office of the Department of Administration. Travel expenses incurred by House of Delegates or Senate members shall be paid by the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. Travel expenses incurred by the Secretary of the Department of Commerce, or a designee, or by the commission's citizen members shall be paid by the Department of Commerce.
§4-14-4. Quorum; meetings.
(a) A simple majority of the members serving on the commission at a given time constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
(b) Meetings shall be held in accordance with the provisions of article nine-a, chapter six of this code.
§4-14-5. Advisory council.
The commission may establish an advisory council composed of citizens at large who have interest in the state's ski resort industry.
§4-14-6. Powers; duties.
(a) The commission shall, in consultation with the Department of Commerce:
(1) Identify policies to encourage economic growth of the ski resort industry;
(2) Identify promising locations for geographical and development opportunities in the ski resort industry; and
(3) Report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance at the October 2011 legislative interim meetings with recommendations to facilitate the directives of this article.
(b) The Department of Commerce shall provide administrative support to the commission where needed to enable the commission to carry out its responsibilities under this article.
§4-14-7. Termination of the commission.
The commission terminates on October 31, 2011.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission to encourage and foster continued development of the state's ski resort industry.

This article is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

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