SB 27 Text

Senate Bill No. 27
(By Senators Caruth, Sprouse, Foster, Barnes and Unger)
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[Introduced January 10, 2007; referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources; then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §7-4-6b, relating to establishing the Commission for a Drug-Free West Virginia; and providing for creation of local coordinating councils.

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 §7-4-6b, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, REWARDS AND LEGAL ADVICE.

§7-4-6b. "Local coordinating council"; commission for a drug-free West Virginia.

(a) As used in this section, "Local Coordinating Council" means a countywide citizen body approved by the commission for a drug-free West Virginia to plan, monitor, and evaluate comprehensive local alcohol and drug abuse plans.
(b) The commission for a drug-free West Virginia is established (referred to in this section as "commission"). The Prosecuting Attorneys Institute may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to administer the commission. The commission shall consist of twenty members described under subsections (d) and (e) who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields and who have experience or an interest in attempting to eliminate alcohol and other drug abuse in West Virginia.
(c) The commission's purpose is to improve the coordination of alcohol and other drug abuse efforts at both the state and local levels in an effort to eliminate duplication of efforts while ensuring that comprehensive alcohol and other drug programs are available throughout West Virginia. The commission's responsibilities include the following:
(1) Establishing an interagency council on drugs to coordinate the alcohol and other drug education, prevention, treatment, and justice programming and funding responsibilities of state agencies, commissions, and boards including the approval of alcohol and other drug plans and funding applications by state agencies, commissions, and boards.
(2) Coordinating the collection of data concerning alcohol and other drug abuse and the needs, programming, and effectiveness of state supported programs and services.
(3) Maintaining a system of support to assist local coordinating councils with technical assistance, guidance, or direct funding resources.
(4) Continuing to assist the development of local coordinating councils to identify community drug programs, coordinate community initiatives, design comprehensive, collaborative community strategies, and monitor anti-drug activities at the local level.
(5) Establishing roles, responsibilities, and performance standards for the local coordinating councils.
(6) Recommending to the Governor and Legislature long and short range goals, objectives, and strategies, including legislative proposals to be implemented on the state and local level to reduce drug abuse.
(7) Assisting local communities in the development of citizen based drug related crime control efforts.
(d) The commission shall be comprised of the following voting members:
(1) The Governor or the Governor's designee.
(2) Fifteen members appointed by the Governor for a two-year term, who have experience or expertise in at least one of the following areas:
(A) Family relations.
(B) Religion.
(C) Education.
(D) Civic or private organizations.
(E) Business.
(F) Media.
(G) Drug treatment.
(H) Medicine.
(I) Local government.
(J) Judiciary.
(K) Law enforcement.
(L) Self-help organizations.
(M) Youth.
(N) A representative of the interagency council against drugs established under subsection (c)(1).
(O) Labor.
(e) Four members of the Legislature shall serve as nonvoting members of the commission. The President of the Senate shall appoint two senators, both of whom may not be members of the same political party. The Speaker of the House of Delegates shall appoint two delegates, both of whom may not be members of the same political party.
(f) The Governor or the Governor's designee shall serve as the chairman of the commission.
(g) The commission shall meet one time per month at the call of the chairman.
(h) Eight voting members of the commission constitute a quorum. The commission is not prohibited from conducting business as a result of a vacancy in the commission. In the case of a vacancy, a new appointee shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy shall be filled from the same group that was represented by the outgoing member.
(i) All appointments of the commission's members are renewable.
(j) A member of the commission is entitled to reimbursement for traveling expenses and other expenses actually incurred in connection with the member's duties, as provided in the state travel policies and procedures established by the West Virginia Department of Administration.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish the commission for a drug-free West Virginia, and to provide for the creation of local coordinating councils to plan, monitor, and evaluate local comprehensive drug abuse programs.

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

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