H. B. 4333


(By Delegates Fahey, Williams, Beach,

Overington, Carmichael, Paxton and L. Smith)


[Introduced January 31, 2002; referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.]




A BILL to amend article six, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section seventeen, relating to public buildings and encouraging public officials to prominently display the national motto on all public property, public buildings and all buildings designed, constructed and maintained with public funds from the state, a county or a municipality.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article six, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section seventeen, to read as follows:
 ARTICLE 6. STATE BUILDING COMMISSION.
 §5-6-17. Display of the national motto.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the national motto should be prominently displayed on public property and in public buildings in honor of this country's heritage, therefore, the governing authority of any public property, public buildings and any building, designed, constructed and maintained with public funds from the state, a county or a municipality is hereby encouraged to prominently display on such property or building, the American national motto, "In God We Trust."
The state building commission shall develop guidelines for such display and the commission may provide, at its cost, an appropriate display of the national motto to any agency of state, county or municipal government requesting it.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to encourage state and local governmental entities to display the national motto, "In God We Trust."

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.