H. B. 4192
(By Delegates Doyle, Michael, Campbell,
Hartman, Williams, Ross, Shaver,
Canterbury)
[Introduced January 27, 2010; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new article, designated §4-14-1, §4-14-2, §4-
14-3, §4-14-4, §4-14-5, §4-14-6 and §4-14-7, all relating to
creating the West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission to
encourage and foster the continued development of the state's
ski resort industry.
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 article, designated §4-14-1, §4-14-2,
§4-14-3, §4-14-4, §4-14-5, §4-14-6 and §4-14-7, all to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 14. WEST VIRGINIA SKI RESORT INDUSTRY COMMISSION.
§4-14-1. Findings; West Virginia Ski Resort Industry Commission
established.
(a) The Legislature finds that the ski resort industry plays
an important role in West Virginia's tourism economy and has
significant potential for even greater growth and economic impact on the state's economy if properly developed.
(b) The Legislature finds that West Virginia's eastern
mountains have the topography and the weather to present a ski
product that rivals that of the New England states, yet after
thirty-five years our ski industry is still well short of this
potential.
(c) The Legislature further finds that if the potential
described in subsection (b) of this section is reached, West
Virginia will see the addition of several hundred million dollars
per year into its economy.
(d) There is hereby created the West Virginia Ski Resort
Industry Commission to encourage and foster the continued
development of the state's ski resort industry.
§4-14-2. Membership; terms; filling vacancies; election of chair
and vice chair.
(a) The Governor shall appoint three members as follows:
(1) The Secretary of the Department of Commerce, or a
designee; and
(2) Two citizen members with knowledge or expertise in the ski
resort industry;
(b) The Speaker of the House of Delegates shall appoint three
members
of the House of Delegates.
(c) The President of the Senate shall appoint three members of
the Senate.
(d) The members shall serve from July 1, 2010 until October 31, 2011.
(e) Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired
terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointments.
(f) The commission shall elect a chair and a vice chair from
among its members.
§4-14-3. Expense reimbursement.
(a) Members shall serve without compensation.
(b) Commission members may be reimbursed for all reasonable
and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of
duties as a commission member, in a manner consistent with the
guidelines of the travel management office of the Department of
Administration. Travel expenses incurred by House of Delegates or
Senate members shall be paid by the Joint Committee on Government
and Finance. Travel expenses incurred by the Secretary of the
Department of Commerce, or a designee, or by the commission's
citizen members shall be paid by the Department of Commerce.
§4-14-4. Quorum; meetings.
(a) A simple majority of the members serving on the commission
at a given time constitutes a quorum for the transaction of
business.
(b) Meetings shall be held in accordance with the provisions
of article nine-a, chapter six of this code.
§4-14-5. Advisory council.
The commission may establish an advisory council composed of citizens at large who have interest in the state's ski resort
industry.
§4-14-6. Powers; duties.
(a) The commission shall, in consultation with the Department
of Commerce:
(1) Identify policies to encourage economic growth of the ski
resort industry;
(2) Identify promising locations for geographical and
development opportunities in the ski resort industry; and
(3) Report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance at
the October 2011 legislative interim meetings with recommendations
to facilitate the directives of this article.
(b) The Department of Commerce shall provide administrative
support to the commission where needed to enable the commission to
carry out its responsibilities under this article.
§4-14-7. Termination of the commission.
The commission terminates on October 31, 2011.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill it to create the West Virginia
Ski Resort Industry Commission to encourage and foster continued
development of the state's ski resort industry.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.