H. B. 4306
(By Delegates Rowe, Hatfield, Spencer,
Hunt, J. Smith, Webb and Capito)
[Introduced January 31, 2000; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]
A BILL to amend article five, chapter twenty of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
by adding thereto two new sections, designated sections
three-a and three-b, all relating to changing Kanawha State
Forest to Kanawha State Forest Recreation Area under the
exclusive management of the section of parks and recreation.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article five, chapter twenty of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto two new sections, designated sections
three-a and three-b, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. PARKS AND RECREATION.
§20-5-3a. Declarations regarding establishment of Kanawha State
Forest recreation area.
The Legislature of the state of West Virginia does hereby
find and declare that it is in the best interests of the people
of West Virginia that the designation of Kanawha State Forest as
a state forest be changed to a designation as a state recreation
area in order to change the priorities for management of the area
to recreation, all as set forth in the provisions of this
article.
§20-5-3b. Establishment of Kanawha State Forest recreation area.
The former Kanawha State Forest is hereby established as and
shall heretofore be designated "Kanawha State Forest Recreation
Area." Kanawha State Forest recreation area shall be considered
a "recreation area" for purposes of chapter twenty of this code.
The section of parks and recreation of the division of natural
resources shall have the duty and authority to maintain Kanawha
State Forest recreation area pursuant to section three, article
five, chapter twenty of this code within the limits of available
funds. In carrying out these duties, the section of parks and
recreation shall place primary emphasis on providing
nonmotorized, outdoor recreational opportunities, including,
without limitation hunting, mountain bike trail riding and
horseback trail riding, for citizens of this state and its
visitors. In furtherance of this goal, any sale of timber from
Kanawha State Forest recreation area shall continue to be prohibited.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to change Kanawha State
Forest to a Kanawha State Forest Recreation Area under the sole
management of the Division of Parks and Recreation.
These sections are new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.