H. B. 2923
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss (By Request))
[Introduced March 20, 2001; referred to the
Committee on Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section one, article fourteen, chapter
twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred
thirty-one, as amended, relating to including equestrians
under the provisions of the Hatfield-McCoy Regional recreation
authority relating to trail use.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section one, article fourteen, chapter twenty of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 14. HATFIELD-MCCOY REGIONAL RECREATION AUTHORITY.
§20-14-1. Legislative findings.
The West Virginia Legislature finds that there is a
significant need within the state and throughout the eastern United
States for well-managed facilities for trail-oriented recreation
for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, mountain bicyclists, equestrians and others. The Legislature further finds that under
an appropriate contractual and management scheme, well-managed,
trail-oriented, recreation facilities could exist on private
property without diminishing the landowner's interest, control or
profitability in the land.
The Legislature further finds that, with the cooperation of
private landowners who hold large tracts of land, there is an
opportunity to provide trail-oriented recreation facilities
primarily on private property in the mountainous terrain of
southern West Virginia and that the facilities will provide
significant benefit to the state and to the communities in southern
West Virginia through increased tourism in the same manner as
white-water rafting and snow skiing benefit the state and
communities surrounding those activities.
The Legislature further finds that the creation and empowering
of a statutory corporation to work with the landowners, county
officials and community leaders, state and federal government
agencies, recreational user groups and other interested parties to
enable and facilitate the implementation of the facilities will
greatly assist in the realization of these potential benefits.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to
include equestrians
under the provisions of the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority relating to trail use.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.