SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 24

(By Senators Buckalew, Wooton, Ball, Dittmar,

Fanning, Hunter, Oliverio, Ross, Snyder and White)


[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary]


Requesting the joint committee on government and finance to create a joint committee of members of the Senate and House of Delegates to investigate and study telemarketing practices; to determine the need, if any for legislative action; and to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature.

Whereas, The telemarketing industry is a growing industry in West Virginia and affects the lives of many West Virginians; and
Whereas, The Legislature welcomes this industry to our state and recognizes that the vast majority of telemarketers are law- abiding corporate and individual citizens of our state; and
Whereas, The development of telemarketing jobs throughout the state of West Virginia is important to economic growth and development in the state of West Virginia; and
Whereas, It has come to the attention of the Legislature that some telemarketers may be engaging in fraudulent practices which are harmful to the elderly and other citizens of our state who are vulnerable to such fraudulent practices; and
Whereas, The Legislature has determined a need to investigate and study this growing industry in our state to consider the necessity, if any, to enact legislation to protect the citizens of this state from fraudulent telemarketing practices and to encourage the growth and development of a responsible telemarketing industry; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the joint committee on government and finance is hereby requested to create a joint committee of the Senate and House of Delegates consisting of five members of the Senate, to be designated by the president of the Senate, with no more than three members from the same political party, and five members of the House of Delegates, to be designated by the speaker of the House of Delegates, with no more than three members of the same political party, and who shall be empowered: (1) To investigate and study telemarketing practices; (2) to consider the need, if any, to enact legislation to prevent fraudulent practices; (3) to hold hearings thereon; (4) to make findings of facts and conclusions based on such investigation; and (5) to present its findings and recommendations to the Legislature; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall meet in Charleston or elsewhere, as it may consider necessary or appropriate; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall report to the Legislature on or before the second Wednesday of November, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, regarding its findings and any recommendations which the committee may deem proper; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft recommended legislation, be paid from legislative appropriations to the joint committee on government and finance.