HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 94

(By Delegates Beane, Kuhn, Butcher, Ferrell, Iaquinta, Manchin, Manuel, Martin, Perdue, Tucker, Wright, Yeager, Yost, Azinger and Blair)

(Originating in the Committee on Government Organization)

[March 6, 2003]


Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the feasibility of combining the activities of the racing commission and the lottery commission to create a single governmental entity.

whereas, The State of West Virginia has a projected deficit of twenty million dollars for the current fiscal year with a anticipated deficit of two hundred fifty million for fiscal year 2004; and
whereas, Duplication of services presently exists in state government and investigating the elimination of that duplication through the consolidation of agencies would be in the best interest of the citizens of West Virginia; and
whereas, The Legislature finds that dog and horse racing, the state owned lottery, racetrack video lottery, limited video lottery games, gaming facilities, charitable bingo, charitable raffles and charitable raffle boards and games are all legal gaming activities of a similar nature and would be better served if regulated by a single agency, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the feasibility of combining the activities of the racing commission and the lottery commission to create a single governmental entity, and to further study the powers, duties, and functions of state agencies with particular emphasis on areas of overlapping or duplicative activities and services to determine whether the executive branch of state government should be reorganized; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2004, its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.