ENGROSSED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 415
(By Senators Buckalew and Sharpe)
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[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported March 28, 1997.]
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A BILL to amend article twenty, chapter thirty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section five-b, relating to prohibiting use or possession of tobacco products by inmates held in facilities operated solely by the regional jail and correctional facility authority.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article twenty, chapter thirty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section five- b, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 20. WEST VIRGINIA REGIONAL JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AUTHORITY.

§31-20-5b. Prohibition against use or possession of tobacco products by inmates held by regional facility authority in regional jails operated solely by the authority; authorization to establish smoking cessation program.

Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the authority shall prohibit the use or possession of tobacco products by inmates held in facilities operated solely by the authority. The authority may establish smoking cessation programs to facilitate the prohibition set forth in this section.
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(NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to direct the regional jail authority to prohibit possession or use of tobacco products by inmates and to allow for the establishment of smoking cessation programs.

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