H. B. 2885


(By Delegates Butcher, Givens, Stemple, Craig,

Coleman, Frederick and H. White)


[Introduced March 16, 2001; referred to the

Committee on Veterans' Affairs then the Judiciary.]




A BILL to amend and reenact section seven, article one, chapter four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend and reenact section two-a, article three, chapter seven of said code, all relating to displaying POW-MIA flags.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That section seven, article one, chapter four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that section two-a, article three, chapter seven be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:

ARTICLE 1. OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES; APPROPRIATIONS;
INVESTIGATIONS; DISPLAY OF FLAGS; RECORDS; USE OF
CAPITOL BUILDING; PREFILING OF BILLS AND
RESOLUTIONS; STANDING COMMITTEES; INTERIM MEETINGS;
NEXT MEETING OF THE SENATE.
 §4-1-7. Flags displayed during sessions.
While either house is in session, The flag of the United States, and the flag of the state of West Virginia and the POW-MIA flag shall be kept suspended over the place of session flown over the state capitol building year round.
ARTICLE 3. COUNTY PROPERTY.
§7-3-2a. County commissions to purchase and display flags.

The county court commission of every county of the state shall, out of its general revenue fund, cause to be purchased a United States flag and a flag of the state of West Virginia, four feet by six feet in dimensions and of regulation bunting, or of other appropriate size and quality, for its courthouse, and shall require the same to be displayed from such the courthouse, or from an appropriate staff or pole near thereto, every day between the hours of sunrise and sunset, except in inclement weather. Each county court shall likewise cause to be purchased a United States flag and a flag of the state of West Virginia, and require same to be displayed at all times in the circuit courtroom of such the county. Each county and any municipality therein shall have the option of purchasing a POW-MIA flag to be displayed from its courthouse or other governmental building alongside the state flag and United States flag. It shall be the duty of the custodian or other person in charge of such the courthouse to see that the flags are displayed as herein provided.
 Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

VETERANS' AFFAIRS TITLE AMENDMENT


H. B. 2885 -- "A Bill to amend and reenact section seven, article one, chapter four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend and reenact section two-a, article three, chapter seven of said code, all relating to displaying flags at the state capitol, county courthouses or other governmental buildings; requiring the national, state and prisoner-of-war/missing-in-action flags be flown over the state capitol all year round; providing counties and municipalities with the option to purchase prisoner-of-war/missing- in-action flags for display over courthouses or other governmental buildings."