COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR


Senate Bill No. 239

(By Senators McCabe, Foster, Palumbo, Wells and Kessler)

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[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization;

reported February 19, 2009.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §7A-7-4a, relating to authorizing counties with a population exceeding 150,000 and a Class I municipality to approve metro government by a majority vote.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §7A-7-4a
, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 7. ELECTIONS ON METRO GOVERNMENT.

§7A-7-4a. Approval of metro government in certain instances.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, elections on the question of consolidation as it relates to metro government held in any county with a population exceeding 150,000 and a Class I municipality, based on the 2000 census, may be decided by a majority of the legal votes cast by the qualified voters of the principal city and a majority of the legal votes cast by the qualified voters of the affected county, excluding the principal city.
(b) After approval by a majority vote, as set out in subsection (a) of this section, then metro government becomes effective pursuant to the charter.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit the voters of Kanawha County to approve metro government
by a majority vote.