Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb238%20sub1%20eng.htm&yr=2011&sesstype=RS&i=238
Timestamp: 2018-04-23 15:40:44
Document Index: 72508590

Matched Legal Cases: ['§4', '§5', '§5', '§6', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§4', '§5', '§5', '§6', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§9', '§5', '§9']

Engrossed Version Senate Bill 238 History
OTHER VERSIONS - Enrolled Version - Final Version (2) | Enrolled Version - Final Version | Introduced Version | Committee Substitute (1) | pdf | Email
reported February 18, 2011.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §4-10-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §5F-1-2 of said code; to amend and reenact §5F-2-1 of said code; to amend and reenact §6-7-2a of said code; to amend and reenact §9A-1-1, §9A-1-2 and §9A-1-4 of said code; and to amend said code by adding thereto four new sections, designated §9A-1-1a, §9A-1-1b, §9A-1-1c and §9A-1-1d, all relating to redesignating the Division of Veterans’ Affairs as the Department of Veterans’ Assistance within the executive branch; establishing the time period for review of the Department of Veterans’ Assistance by the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization and the Joint Committee on Government Operations; providing that the Veterans’ Council be part of the Department of Veterans’ Assistance; providing that the department be supervised by a secretary-level administrator; establishing the salary of the secretary; providing an effective date for redesignation; making other changes to the code to comport with the amendment; and providing technical and clerical cleanup.
That §4-10-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that §5F-1-2 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §5F-2-1 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §6-7-2a of said code be amended and reenacted; that §9A-1-1, §9A-1-2 and §9A-1-4 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto four new sections, designated §9A-1-1a, §9A-1-1b, §9A-1-1c and §9A-1-1d, all to read as follows:
(9) Effective July 1, 2011, Department of Veteran’s Assistance.
§5F-2-1. Transfer and incorporation of agencies and boards; funds. (a) The following agencies and boards, including all of the allied, advisory, affiliated or related entities and funds associated with any agency or board, are incorporated in and administered as a part of the Department of Administration:
A state agency to be known as Effective July 1, 2011 The the West Virginia Division of Veterans' Affairs is hereby created and established within the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety redesignated the Department of Veteran’s Assistance for the purpose of aiding, assisting, counseling and advising, and looking after the rights and interests of, all persons known as veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard as defined by the laws of the United States and whose separation therefrom has been other than dishonorable and who are citizens and residents of this state, and the widows, dependents and orphans, who are or have become citizens and residents of this state, or all persons known as veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard as defined by the laws of the United States and whose separation therefrom has been other than dishonorable.
§9A-1-1a. Department of Veterans’ Assistance; office of Secretary of Department of Veterans’ Assistance.
(a) The Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Assistance is the chief executive officer of the department. Subject to the requirements for the qualification and appointment of the secretary provided in section four of this article, the Governor shall appoint the secretary, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the term for which the Governor is elected and until a successor shall have been appointed and qualified. The Secretary shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Governor. Any reference in this code to the Division of Veterans Affairs or to the Department of Veterans Affairs means the Department of Veterans’ Assistance. Any reference in this code to the Director of the Division of Veterans Affairs means the Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Assistance. As used in this chapter, “secretary” means the Secretary of Veterans’ Assistance and “division” means Department of Veterans’ Assistance.
Any governmental entity may appeal to the Governor for review upon a showing that application of the secretary’s authority may interfere with the successful functioning of that entity. The Governor’s decision controls on appeal.
There is continued the “Veterans’ Council” consisting of nine members who must be citizens and residents of this state and 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 amendments thereto. At Where feasible, at least one member of the council must shall be a veteran of World War II, at least one member of the council must shall be a veteran of the Korean Conflict, at least two members of the council must shall be veterans of the Vietnam era, at least one member must shall be a veteran of the first Gulf War and at least one member must shall be a veteran of the Afghanistan or Iraqi Conflicts. The members of the veterans’ council must shall be selected with special reference to their ability and fitness to effectuate the purposes of this article. If an eligible veteran is not available or cannot be selected, members may be selected from those veterans who served during a peacetime period provided all other conditions are met.
(a) It is the duty and function of the Veterans' Council to advise the director secretary on the general administrative policies of the division department, to select, at their first meeting in each fiscal year commencing on July 1, a chairman chairperson to serve one year, to advise the director secretary on rules as may be necessary, to advise the Governor and the Legislature with respect to legislation affecting the interests of veterans, their widows, dependents and orphans and to make annual reports to the Governor respecting the service of the division department. The director secretary has the same eligibility and qualifications prescribed for members of the Veterans' Council. The Governor shall appoint a director for a term of six years, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Before making the appointment the Governor shall request the council of the West Virginia division of veterans' affairs to furnish a full and complete report concerning the qualifications and suitability of the proposed appointee. The director may only be removed by the Governor for cause, but shall have upon his or her own request an open hearing before the Governor on the complaints or charges lodged against him or her. The action of the Governor shall be final. The director secretary ex officio shall be the executive secretary of the Veterans' Council, keep the minutes of each meeting and be in charge of maintain all records of the division veterans’ council.