Senate Bill No. 428
(By Senators Bowman, Bailey, Minear, Plymale and Prezioso)
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[Introduced January 28, 2002; referred to the Committee
on Military; and then to the Committee on Government
Organization.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact section four, article one, chapter
nine-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred
thirty-one, as amended, relating to revising the duties and
functions of the veterans' council.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article one, chapter nine-a of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
§9A-1-4. Duties and functions of veterans' council; appointment of
director; term of office; removal.
It shall be is the duty and function of the veterans' council
to determine to advise the director
on the general administrative
policies of the division, to select, at their first meeting in each fiscal year commencing on the first day of July, a chairman to
serve one year, to promulgate to advise the director on such rules
and regulations as may be necessary, to examine into the efficiency
of the division from time to time, to exercise general supervision
over the operations of the division, to advise the governor and the
Legislature with respect to legislation affecting the interests of
veterans, their widows, dependents and orphans and to make annual
reports to the governor respecting the service of the division.
and to prescribe the duties of the director. Such The director
shall have has the same eligibility and qualifications prescribed
for members of the veterans' council. The governor shall appoint
a director for a term of six years, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. Before making such the appointment, the
governor shall request the council of the West Virginia division of
veterans' affairs to furnish a full and complete report concerning
the qualifications and suitability of the proposed appointee. The
director shall be subject to removal may only be removed by the
governor for cause, but shall have upon his or her
own request an
open hearing before the governor on the complaints or charges
lodged against him or her. The action of the governor shall be
final. The director ex officio shall be the executive secretary of
the veterans' council, keep the minutes of each meeting and be in
charge of all records of the division.
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(NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to revise and clarify the
role of the veterans' council as an advisory council to the
division of veterans' affairs.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.
This bill is recommended by the joint committee on government
operations for passage during the 2002 regular session of the
Legislature.)