H. B. 4655
(By Delegate Boggs, By Request)
[Introduced February 27, 1998; referred to the
Committee on Political Subdivisions then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section seventeen, article five,
chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to authority
of county officials or employees to become members of
voluntary associations.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section seventeen, article five, chapter seven of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. FISCAL AFFAIRS.
§7-5-17. Authority of county officials or employees to become
members of voluntary associations.
Any county official or employee is hereby authorized to
become associated and to participate as a member in any voluntary
state association or organization, in the discretion of the county court commission, from which benefits commensurate with
the expense will be derived by the county. The county court
commission is authorized to expend funds for such purpose and to
reimburse such person or persons for the actual amount expended
by him or her for food and lodging while in attendance at
meetings of such associations, within this state, with mileage
not to exceed the rate of ten cents per mile, to be computed
according to the distance by the nearest practicable route for
travel to and from such meeting: Provided, That no public funds
may be expended for the benefit of any association or
organization which lobbies the Legislature, the United States
Congress or any state or federal regulatory body. Any
association or organization which derives seventy-five percent or
more of its funding from membership dues, beginning the first day
of September, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight and each
September thereafter, shall cause to be published, in accordance
with section one, article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code,
a financial statement of Class 1-0 legal advertisement in each
county from which the organization derives public funds. This
financial statement shall list, in the aggregate and by type, all
sources of revenue and all major categories of expenses.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit public funds
from being expended to any association or organization which lobbies.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.