
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 526
(By Senators Craigo, Anderson, Chafin, Dittmar, Love,
Minard,Prezioso, Wooton, McKenzie, Ball, Bowman, Sharpe, Edgell,
Helmick, Ross, McCabe, Dawson, Redd, Kessler,Plymale, Bailey,
Jackson, Snyder, Boley, Hunter, Unger, Mitchell, Fanning and
Tomblin, Mr. President)
____________
[Originating in the Committee on Finance;
reported March 1, 2000.]
____________
A BILL to repeal sections eight, nine, eleven, twelve, twelve-a and
thirteen, article two, chapter five-b of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; to
amend and reenact section ten of said article; to amend and
reenact section one, article two, chapter five-f of said code;
and to further amend said code by adding thereto a new
chapter, designated chapter five-h, all relating to tourism; creating the division of tourism within the bureau of
commerce; transferring the tourism commission, its funds,
employees and property from the development office to the
division; appointment of a commissioner of the division; and
powers and duties of the division and the commission.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That sections eight, nine, eleven, twelve, twelve-a and
thirteen, article two, chapter five-b of the code of West Virginia,
one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be repealed; that
section ten of said article two be amended and reenacted; that
section one, article two, chapter five-f of said code be amended
and reenacted; and that said code be further amended by adding
thereto a new chapter, designated chapter five-h, all to read as
follows:
CHAPTER 5B. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1985.
ARTICLE 2. WEST VIRGINIA DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
§5B-2-10. Program and policy action statement; submission to joint
committee on government and finance.

The tourism commission, the West Virginia development office
and any other authorities, boards, commissions, corporations or
other entities created or amended under this chapter and article
eleven, chapter eighteen-b of this code shall annually prepare and
submit to the joint committee on government and finance, on or before the first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-
five, and of each year, thereafter a program and policy action
statement which shall outline outlines in specific detail according
to the purpose, powers and duties of the office or section, its
procedure, plan and program to be used in accomplishing its goals
and duties as required under this article.
CHAPTER 5F. REORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
OF STATE GOVERNMENT.
ARTICLE 2. TRANSFER OF AGENCIES AND BOARDS.
§5F-2-1. Transfer and incorporation of agencies and boards; funds.

(a) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such the agency or board, are hereby
transferred to and incorporated in and shall be administered as a
part of the department of administration:

(1) Building commission provided for in article six, chapter
five of this code;

(2) Public employees insurance agency and public employees
insurance agency advisory board provided for in article sixteen,
chapter five of this code;

(3) Governor's mansion advisory committee provided for in
article five, chapter five-a of this code;

(4) Commission on uniform state laws provided for in article one-a, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(5) Education and state employees grievance board provided for
in article twenty-nine, chapter eighteen of this code and article
six-a, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(6) Board of risk and insurance management provided for in
article twelve, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(7) Boundary commission provided for in article twenty-three,
chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(8) Public defender services provided for in article twenty-
one, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(9) Division of personnel provided for in article six, chapter
twenty-nine of this code;

(10) The West Virginia ethics commission provided for in
article two, chapter six-b of this code;

(11) Consolidated public retirement board provided for in
article ten-d, chapter five of this code; and

(12) The child support enforcement division designated in
chapter forty-eight-a of this code.

(b) The department of commerce, labor and environmental
resources and the office of secretary of the department of
commerce, labor and environmental resources are hereby abolished.
For purposes of administrative support and liaison with the office
of the governor, the following agencies and boards, including all allied, advisory and affiliated entities shall be grouped under
three bureaus as follows:

(1) Bureau of commerce:

(A) Division of labor provided for in article one, chapter
twenty-one of this code, which shall include:

(i) Occupational safety and health review commission provided
for in article three-a, chapter twenty-one of this code; and

(ii) Board of manufactured housing construction and safety
provided for in article nine, chapter twenty-one of this code;

(B) Office of miners' health, safety and training provided for
in article one, chapter twenty-two-a of this code. The following
boards are transferred to the office of miners' health, safety and
training for purposes of administrative support and liaison with
the office of the governor:

(i) Board of coal mine health and safety and coal mine safety
and technical review committee provided for in article six, chapter
twenty-two-a of this code;

(ii) Board of miner training, education and certification
provided for in article seven, chapter twenty-two-a of this code;
and

(iii) Mine inspectors' examining board provided for in article
nine, chapter twenty-two-a of this code;

(C) The West Virginia development office provided for in article two, chapter five-b of this code, which shall include:

(i) Enterprise zone authority provided for in article two-b,
chapter five-b of this code; and

(ii) Economic development authority provided for in article
fifteen, chapter thirty-one of this code; and


(iii) Tourism commission provided for in article two, chapter
five-b of this code and the office of the tourism commissioner;

(D) Division of natural resources and natural resources
commission provided for in article one, chapter twenty of this
code. The Blennerhassett historical state park provided for in
article eight, chapter twenty-nine of this code shall be is under
the division of natural resources;

(E) Division of forestry provided for in article one-a,
chapter nineteen of this code;

(F) Geological and economic survey provided for in article
two, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(G) Water development authority and board provided for in
article one, chapter twenty-two-c of this code; and

(H) Division of tourism and tourism commission provided for in
article one, chapter five-h of this code;

(2) Bureau of employment programs provided for in article one,
chapter twenty-one-a of this code;

(3) Bureau of environment:

(A) Air quality board provided for in article two, chapter
twenty-two-b of this code;

(B) Solid waste management board provided for in article
three, chapter twenty-two-c of this code;

(C) Environmental quality board, or its successor board,
provided for in article three, chapter twenty-two-b of this code;

(D) Division of environmental protection provided for in
article one, chapter twenty-two of this code;

(E) Surface mine board provided for in article four, chapter
twenty-two-b of this code;

(F) Oil and gas inspectors' examining board provided for in
article seven, chapter twenty-two-c of this code;

(G) Shallow gas well review board provided for in article
eight, chapter twenty-two-c of this code; and

(H) Oil and gas conservation commission provided for in
article nine, chapter twenty-two-c of this code.

(c) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such the agency or board, are hereby
transferred to and incorporated in and shall be administered as a
part of the department of education and the arts:

(1) Library commission provided for in article one, chapter
ten of this code;

(2) Educational broadcasting authority provided for in article
five, chapter ten of this code;

(3) University of West Virginia board of trustees provided for
in article two, chapter eighteen-b of this code;

(4) Board of directors of the state college system provided
for in article three, chapter eighteen-b of this code;

(5) Joint commission for vocational-technical-occupational
education provided for in article three-a, chapter eighteen-b of
this code;

(6) Division of culture and history provided for in article
one, chapter twenty-nine of this code; and

(7) Division of rehabilitation services provided for in
section two, article ten-a, chapter eighteen of this code.

(d) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such agency or board, are hereby transferred to
and incorporated in and shall be administered as a part of the
department of health and human resources:

(1) Human rights commission provided for in article eleven,
chapter five of this code;

(2) Division of human services provided for in article two,
chapter nine of this code;

(3) Bureau of public Division of health provided for in article one, chapter sixteen of this code;

(4) Office of emergency medical services and the emergency
medical services advisory council thereto provided for in article
four-c, chapter sixteen of this code;

(5) Health care cost review authority provided for in article
twenty-nine-b, chapter sixteen of this code;

(6) Commission on mental retardation provided for in article
fifteen, chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(7) Women's commission provided for in article twenty, chapter
twenty-nine of this code; and

(8) The child support enforcement division designated in
chapter forty-eight-a of this code.

(e) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such agency or board, are hereby transferred to
and incorporated in and shall be administered as a part of the
department of military affairs and public safety:

(1) Adjutant general's department provided for in article
one-a, chapter fifteen of this code;

(2) Armory board provided for in article six, chapter fifteen
of this code;

(3) Military awards board provided for in article one-g,
chapter fifteen of this code;

(4) West Virginia state police provided for in article two,
chapter fifteen of this code;

(5) Office of emergency services and disaster recovery board
provided for in article five, chapter fifteen of this code and
emergency response commission provided for in article five-a of
said chapter;

(6) Sheriffs' bureau provided for in article eight, chapter
fifteen of this code;

(7) Division of corrections provided for in chapter
twenty-five of this code;

(8) Fire commission provided for in article three, chapter
twenty-nine of this code;

(9) Regional jail and correctional facility authority provided
for in article twenty, chapter thirty-one of this code;

(10) Board of probation and parole provided for in article
twelve, chapter sixty-two of this code; and

(11) Division of veterans' affairs and veterans' council
provided for in article one, chapter nine-a of this code.

(f) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such the agency or board, are hereby
transferred to and incorporated in and shall be administered as a
part of the department of tax and revenue:

(1) Tax division provided for in article one, chapter eleven
of this code;

(2) Racing commission provided for in article twenty-three,
chapter nineteen of this code;

(3) Lottery commission and position of lottery director
provided for in article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this
code;

(4) Agency of insurance commissioner provided for in article
two, chapter thirty-three of this code;

(5) Office of alcohol beverage control commissioner provided
for in article sixteen, chapter eleven of this code and article
two, chapter sixty of this code;

(6) Board of banking and financial institutions provided for
in article three, chapter thirty-one-a of this code;

(7) Lending and credit rate board provided for in chapter
forty-seven-a of this code;

(8) Division of banking provided for in article two, chapter
thirty-one-a of this code; and

(9) The child support enforcement division as designated in
chapter forty-eight-a of this code.

(g) The following agencies and boards, including all of the
allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds
associated with any such the agency or board, are hereby transferred to and incorporated in and shall be administered as a
part of the department of transportation:

(1) Division of highways provided for in article two-a,
chapter seventeen of this code;

(2) Parkways, economic development and tourism authority
provided for in article sixteen-a, chapter seventeen of this code;

(3) Division of motor vehicles provided for in article two,
chapter seventeen-a of this code;

(4) Driver's licensing advisory board provided for in article
two, chapter seventeen-b of this code;

(5) Aeronautics commission provided for in article two-a,
chapter twenty-nine of this code;

(6) State rail authority provided for in article eighteen,
chapter twenty-nine of this code; and

(7) Port authority provided for in article sixteen-b, chapter
seventeen of this code.

(h) Except for such those powers, authority and duties as have
been delegated to the secretaries of the departments by the
provisions of section two of this article, the existence of the
position of administrator and of the agency and the powers,
authority and duties of each administrator and agency shall is not
be affected by the enactment of this chapter.

(i) Except for such those powers, authority and duties as have been delegated to the secretaries of the departments by the
provisions of section two of this article, the existence, powers,
authority and duties of boards and the membership, terms and
qualifications of members of such the boards shall is not be
affected by the enactment of this chapter and all boards which are
appellate bodies or were otherwise established to be independent
decisionmakers shall do not have their appellate or independent
decision-making status affected by the enactment of this chapter.

(j) Any department previously transferred to and incorporated
in a department created in section two, article one of this chapter
by prior enactment of this section in chapter three, acts of the
Legislature, first extraordinary session, one thousand nine hundred
eighty-nine, and subsequent amendments thereto, shall henceforth be
read, construed and understood to mean means a division of the
appropriate department so that was created. Wherever elsewhere in
this code, in any act, in general or other law, in any rule or
regulation, or in any ordinance, resolution or order, reference is
made to any department transferred to and incorporated in a
department created in section two, article one of this chapter,
such the reference shall henceforth be read, construed and
understood to mean means a division of the appropriate department
so that was created, and any such reference elsewhere to a division
of a department so transferred and incorporated shall henceforth be read, construed and understood to mean means a section of the
appropriate division of the department so that was created.

(k) When an agency, board or commission is transferred under
a bureau or agency other than a department headed by a secretary
pursuant to this section, that transfer shall be construed to be is
solely for purposes of administrative support and liaison with the
office of the governor, a department secretary or a bureau. The
bureaus created by the Legislature upon the abolishment of the
department of commerce, labor and environmental resources in the
year one thousand nine hundred ninety-four shall be headed by a
commissioner or other statutory officer of an agency within that
bureau. Nothing in this section shall be construed to extend
extends the powers of department secretaries under section two of
this article to any person other than a department secretary and
nothing herein shall be construed to limit or abridge in this
section limits or abridges the statutory powers and duties of
statutory commissioners or officers pursuant to this code. Upon
the abolishment of the office of secretary of the department of
commerce, labor and environmental resources, the governor may
appoint a statutory officer serving functions formerly within that
department to a position which was filled by the secretary ex
officio.
CHAPTER 5H. TOURISM.
ARTICLE 1. DIVISION OF TOURISM.
§5H-1-1. Division of tourism.

The division of tourism is hereby created within the bureau of
commerce.
§5H-1-2. Appointment of commissioner of the division of tourism;
powers and duties.

(a) The governor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of
the Senate, a commissioner of the division of tourism. The annual
salary of the commissioner is seventy thousand dollars. The
commissioner shall assist the tourism commission in the performance
of its responsibilities and perform other duties required in this
article.

(b) The commissioner is the chief executive officer of the
division. The commissioner shall organize the division into units
of activity for the orderly, efficient and economical
administration of the division and for the accomplishment of its
objects and purposes. The commissioner may appoint assistants and
other employees needed for the operation of the division and may
prescribe their powers and duties. All employees of the division
shall be in the classified service.

(b) The commissioner has the power to and may designate
supervisory officers or other officers or employees of the division
to substitute for him or her on any board or commission established under this code or to sit in his or her place in any meetings or
other activities with the substitute having the same powers,
duties, authority and responsibility as the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner has the following powers and duties:

(1) To acquire for the state in the name of the division by
purchase, lease or agreement, or accept or reject for the state, in
the name of the division, gifts, donations, contributions, bequests
or devises of money, security or property, both real and personal,
and any interest in the property, to effectuate or support the
purposes of this article;

(2) To make recommendations to the governor and the
Legislature of any legislation considered necessary to facilitate
the carrying out of any of the commissioner's powers and duties and
to exercise any other power that may be necessary or proper for the
orderly conduct of the business of the division and the effective
discharge of the duties of the commissioner;

(3) To cooperate and assist in the production of motion
pictures and television and other communications;

(4) To purchase advertising time or space in or upon any
medium generally engaged or employed for advertising, to advertise
and market the resources of the state or to inform the public at large or any specifically targeted group or industry about the
benefits of living in, investing in, producing in, buying from,
contracting with, or in any other way related to, the state of West
Virginia or any business, industry, agency, institution or other
entity in the state. Of any funds appropriated and allocated for
purposes of advertising and marketing expenses for the promotion
and development of tourism, at least twenty percent of the funds
shall be expended, with the approval of the director of the
division of natural resources, to advertise, promote and market
state parks, state forests, state recreation areas and wildlife
recreational resources;

(5) To promote and disseminate information related to the
attractions of the state through the operation of the state's
telemarketing initiative, which shall include a centralized
reservation and information system for state parks and recreational
facilities; and

(6) To take additional actions as may be necessary to carry
out the duties and programs described in this article.

(d) The commissioner shall submit a report annually to the
Legislature about the development of the tourism industry in the
state.
§5H-1-3. Tourism commission; members, appointment and expenses.
(a) The tourism commission created under the former provisions
of section eight, article two, chapter five-b of this code is
continued. It is a body corporate and politic, constituting a
public corporation and government instrumentality. Membership on
the council consists of thirteen members:
(1) Nine members to be appointed by the governor, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, representing participants in the
state's tourism industry. At least seven of the members shall be
from the private sector. Of the nine members appointed, one shall
represent a convention and visitors bureau and another shall be a
member of a convention and visitors bureau. In making the
appointments, the governor may select from a list of qualified
applicants provided by the West Virginia hospitality and travel
association. Of the nine members appointed, no more than three may
be from each congressional district within the state and shall be
appointed to provide the broadest geographic distribution which is
feasible;
(2) One member to be appointed by the governor from the
membership of the council for community and economic development
created pursuant to the provisions of section two, article two,
chapter five-b of this code;
(3) One member to be appointed by the governor to represent
public sector nonstate participants in the tourism industry within the state;
(4) The secretary of transportation or his or her designee, ex
officio; and
(5) The director of the division of natural resources or his
or her designee, ex officio.
(b) Each member appointed by the governor shall serve
staggered terms of four years. Any member whose term has expired
serves until his or her successor has been appointed. Any person
appointed to fill a vacancy serves only for the unexpired term.
Any member is eligible for reappointment. In cases of vacancy in
the office of member, the vacancy shall be filled by the governor
in the same manner as the original appointment. All members
serving on the effective date of this article may continue to serve
until their terms expire.
(c) Members of the commission are not entitled to compensation
for services performed as members. A majority of these members
constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business. The
governor shall appoint a chair of the commission for a term to run
concurrent with the term of the office of the member appointed to
be the chair. The chair is eligible for successive terms in that
position.
§5H-1-4. Powers and duties of tourism commission.
(a) The commission shall develop a comprehensive tourism
promotion and development strategy for West Virginia.
"Comprehensive tourism promotion and development strategy" means a
plan that outlines strategies and activities designed to continue,
diversify or expand the tourism base of the state as a whole;
create tourism jobs; develop a highly skilled tourism work force;
facilitate business access to capital for tourism; advertise and
market the resources offered by the state with respect to tourism
promotion and development; facilitate cooperation among local,
regional and private tourism enterprises; improve infrastructure on
a state, regional and community level in order to facilitate
tourism development; improve the tourism business climate
generally; and leverage funding from sources other than the state,
including local, federal and private sources.
(b) In developing its strategies, the commission shall
consider the following:
(1) Improvement and expansion of existing tourism marketing
and promotion activities; and
(2) Promotion of cooperation among municipalities, counties,
and the West Virginia infrastructure and jobs development council
in funding physical infrastructure to enhance the potential for
tourism development.
(c) The commission may propose rules for promulgation by the legislature, pursuant to the provisions of article three, chapter
twenty-nine-a of this code, which shall carry out the division's
purposes and programs, including:
(1) The programs available;
(2) The procedure and eligibility of applications relating to
assistance under the programs;
(3) The staff structure necessary to support the programs.
The structure shall include the qualifications for a professional
staff person qualified by reason of exceptional training and
experience in the field of advertising to supervise the advertising
and promotion functions of the division;
(4) Provision for the management of West Virginia welcome
centers; and
(5) Any other rules necessary to implement the provisions of
this article.
(d) The commission may also promulgate procedural rules in
accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code
for instructions and forms for applications relating to assistance.
(e) Rules of the tourism commission in effect on the effective
date of this article continue in effect until lawfully changed by
the commission.
§5H-1-5. Program and policy action statement; submission to joint
committee on government and finance.

The commissioner shall prepare and submit to the joint
committee on government and finance on or before the first day of
December, two thousand and each year after that, a program and
policy action statement which outlines in specific detail according
to the purpose, powers and duties of the commissioner, the
commissioner's procedure, plan and program to be used in
implementing the commission's comprehensive tourism promotion and
development strategy and in accomplishing the commissioner's goals
and duties as required under this article.
§5H-1-6. Public-private partnerships.

(a) The commissioner is authorized to enter into contractual
or joint venture agreements with a nonprofit corporation organized
pursuant to the corporate laws of the state, organized to permit
qualification pursuant to Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue
Code and organized for purposes of the promotion and development of
tourism in West Virginia and funded from sources other than the
state. Members of the commission and the commissioner are
authorized to sit on the board of directors of the private
nonprofit corporation.

(b) From time to time the commissioner may enter into joint
ventures in which the division of tourism and the nonprofit corporation share in the development and funding of tourism
promotion or development programs.

(c) Contracts entered into pursuant to this section for longer
than one fiscal year shall contain, in substance, a provision that
the contract is considered canceled without further obligation on
the part of the state if the Legislature or, where appropriate, the
federal government fails to appropriate sufficient funds for the
contract or acts to impair the contract or cause it to be canceled.
§5H-1-7. Tourism promotion fund continued; use of funds.

(a) There is continued in the state treasury the special
revenue fund known as the "tourism promotion fund" created under
prior enactment of section twelve, article two, chapter five-b of
this code.

(b) A minimum of five percent of the moneys deposited in the
fund each year shall be used solely for direct advertising for West
Virginia travel and tourism. At least twenty percent of these
funds shall be expended, with the approval of the director of the
division of natural resources, to effectively promote and market
the state's parks, state forests, state recreation areas and
wildlife recreational resources. Direct advertising means
advertising which is limited to television, radio, mailings,
newspaper, magazines and outdoor billboards, in any combination.

(c) The balance of the moneys deposited in the fund shall be used for direct advertising within the state's travel regions as
defined by the tourism commission. The funds shall be made
available to these regions according to legislative rules
promulgated by the tourism commission.
§5H-1-8. Tourism fund support of West Virginia celebration 2000.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section seven of this
article, the tourism commission may expend moneys from the tourism
promotion fund in the amount necessary to support the promotional
activities of West Virginia celebration 2000 which will be held in
this state throughout the calendar year two thousand. These moneys
may only be used to match nongovernment moneys which are provided
for sponsorship for West Virginia celebration 2000 events.
(b) The provisions of this section expire on the first day of
March, two thousand one.
§5H-1-9. Savings and transfer provisions.








(a) All actions which have been taken by the tourism
commission prior to the effective date of this article continue in
effect according to their terms until modified, terminated,
superseded, set aside or revoked in accordance with the law.








(b) It is the intent of this article to transfer from the
development office into the division of tourism those functions
relating to the development of tourism in the state. All personnel payroll positions and employees occupying positions in the
development office primarily dedicated to the support of the
tourism commission shall be transferred to the division of tourism.
In order to provide for a smooth transition, the commissioner of
commerce may determine those positions and employees that are to be
transferred and provide that the transfers take effect no later
than the last day of September, two thousand. Funds allocated for
the positions transferred shall also be transferred to the division
of tourism.








(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the creation of
the division of tourism not hinder or interfere in any ongoing
programs.








(d) All equipment and records of the development office
primarily dedicated to or relating to the tourism commission and
its activities shall be transferred to the division of tourism.
The commissioner of commerce may determine the equipment and
records to be transferred and provide that the transfers provided
for in this subsection take effect no later than the last day of
September, two thousand.
§5H-1-10. Prevailing article.








Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary,
the provisions of this article prevail.
§5H-1-11. Continuation.








Pursuant to the provisions of chapter four, article ten of
this code, the division of tourism and the tourism commission shall
continue until the first day of July, two thousand five.