Senate Bill No. 737
(By Senators Craigo, Sharpe, Jackson, Chafin,
Prezioso, Plymale, Love, Helmick, Anderson,
Edgell, Unger, McCabe, Boley and Minear)
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[Originating in the Committee on Finance;
reported February 28, 2002.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact section eleven, article three, chapter
twelve of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred
thirty-one, as amended, relating to authorizing the secretary
of administration to pay travel expenses for visitors; and
authorizing the payment of moving expenses for new and
transferred employees.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section eleven, article three, chapter twelve of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITURES AND DEDUCTIONS.
§12-3-11. Travel expenses; rules to be promulgated concerning
travel expenses; dues to voluntary organizations; recruitment
expenses for higher education policy commission and West Virginia higher education governing boards; moving expenses of
employees of higher education policy commission and West
Virginia higher education governing boards.
(a) The governor shall promulgate rules concerning
out-of-state travel by state officials and employees, except those
in the legislative and judicial branches of the state government
and except for the attorney general, auditor, secretary of state,
treasurer, board of investments, commissioner of agriculture and
their employees, the higher education policy commission and the
higher education governing boards and institutions under their
jurisdiction. The Legislature, the supreme court of appeals and,
the attorney general, auditor, secretary of state, treasurer, board
of investments, commissioner of agriculture, the higher education
policy commission and the higher education governing boards shall
promulgate rules concerning out-of-state travel for their
respective branches and departments of state government. Copies of
such the rules shall be filed with the auditor and the secretary of
state. It shall be is unlawful for the auditor to issue a warrant
in payment of any claim for out-of-state travel expenses incurred
by a state officer or employee unless such the claim meets all the
requirements of the rules so filed.
(b) Payment for dues or membership in annual or other
voluntary organizations shall be made from the proper item or
appropriation after an itemized schedule of such the organizations, together with the amount of such the dues or membership, has been
submitted to the budget director and approved by the governor.
(c) It shall be lawful for The secretary of the department of
administration, the higher education policy commission or a higher
education governing board to may authorize the payment of traveling
expenses incurred by any person invited to visit a state agency the
campus of any state institution of higher education or any other
facility under control of a higher education governing board or the
higher education policy commission to be interviewed concerning his
or her possible employment by a state agency, a higher education
governing board, the higher education policy commission or agent
thereof.
(d) It shall be lawful for The secretary of the department of
administration, the higher education policy commission or a higher
education governing board to may authorize payment of: (1) All or
part of the reasonable expense incurred by a person newly employed
by a state agency, a higher education governing board or the higher
education policy commission in moving his or her household
furniture, effects and immediate family to his or her place of
employment; and (2) all or part of the reasonable expense incurred
by an employee of a state agency, a higher education governing
board or the higher education policy commission in moving his or
her household furniture, effects and immediate family as a result
of a reassignment of the employee which is considered desirable, advantageous to and in the best interest of the state: Provided,
That no part of the moving expenses of any one such employee shall
be paid more frequently than once in twelve months.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the secretary
of the department of administration to pay certain travel expenses
of certain visitors or employment candidates as well as relocation
and reassignment expenses upon such candidate's acceptance of
employment. There are certain positions in state government for
which the pool of candidates are very limited, for example
actuaries. This bill will enable the state to compete in hiring of
such scarcely found employment candidates.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.