H. B. 4673

(By Warner and Pettit)
[Introduced February 24, 2000; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]

A BILL to amend and reenact section ten-a, article three, chapter twelve of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating purchasing card program;

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section ten-a, article three, chapter twelve

ARTICLE 3. APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITURES AND DEDUCTIONS.

§12-3-10a. Purchasing card program.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section ten of this article, payment of claims may be made through the use of the state purchasing card program authorized by the provisions of this section. The auditor, in cooperation with the secretary of the department of administration, may establish a state purchasing card program for the purpose of authorizing all spending units of state government to use a purchasing card as an alternative payment method when making small purchases. The purchasing card program shall be conducted so that procedures and controls for the procurement and payment of goods and services are made more efficient. The program shall permit spending units to use a purchase charge card to purchase goods and services. The amount of any one purchase made with the purchase charge card shall not exceed the amount contained in the jointly proposed rules of the auditor and the purchasing division of the department of administration proposed in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code: Provided, That purchasing cards may not be utilized for the purpose of obtaining cash advances, whether the advances are made in cash or by other negotiable instrument. Purchases of goods and services must be received either in advance of or simultaneously with the use of a state purchasing card for payment for those goods or services. The auditor, by legislative rule, may eliminate the requirement for vendor invoices and provide a procedure for consolidating multiple vendor payments into one monthly payment to a charge card vendor. Selection of a charge card vendor to provide state purchase cards shall be accomplished by competitive bid. The purchasing division of the department of administration auditor shall contract with the successful bidder for provision of state purchase charge cards. Purchase charge cards issued under the program shall be used for official state purchases only. The auditor and the director of the purchasing division of the department of administration shall jointly propose rules for promulgation in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to govern the implementation of the purchase card program.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to give the State Auditor full responsibility for and control over the State Purchasing Card program.

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