ENGROSSED

Senate Bill No. 473

(By Senators Bowman, Bailey, Burnette,

Jackson, Kessler, Minard, Redd, Rowe

and Snyder)

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[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization;


reported January 31, 2002.]

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A BILL to amend and reenact section two, article one, chapter nine- a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to further amend said article by adding thereto a new section, designated section two-a, all relating to continuing the veterans' council.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two, article one, chapter nine-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said article be further amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section two-a, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
§9A-1-2. Veterans' council; administration of division.
There shall be a "veterans' council" which shall consist of seven members who shall be citizens and residents of this state who have served in and been honorably discharged or separated under honorable conditions from the armed forces of the United States and whose service was within a time of war as defined by the laws of the United States, either Public Law No. 2 -- 73rd Congress or Public Law No. 346 -- 78th Congress, and any and all amendments thereto. At least one member of the council shall be a veteran of World War II, at least one member of the council shall be a veteran of the Korean Conflict and at least two members of the council shall be veterans of the Vietnam era. The members of the veterans' council shall be selected with special reference to their ability and fitness to effectuate the purposes of this article.
After having conducted a preliminary performance review through its joint committee on government operations, pursuant to article ten, chapter four of this code, the Legislature hereby finds and declares that the veterans' council should be continued and reestablished. Accordingly, notwithstanding the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, the veterans' council shall continue to exist until the first day of July, two thousand.
The West Virginia division of veterans' affairs shall be administered by a director and such veterans' affairs officers, assistants and employees as may be deemed advisable.
§9A-1-2a. Continuation of council.
The veterans' council is continued until the first day of July, two thousand four, pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, unless sooner terminated, continued or reestablished pursuant to the provisions of that article.