2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18B. Higher Education › Article 19. Capital Projects and Facilities Needs › §18B-19-12. Authorization to Lease

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the commission, council and governing boards may lease, or offer to lease, as lessee, any grounds, buildings, office or other space in the name of the state.
(b) The commission, council and governing boards have sole authority to select and to acquire by contract or lease all grounds, buildings, office space or other space, the rental of which is required necessarily by the commission, council or institutions.
(c) Before executing any rental contract or lease, the commission, council or a governing board shall determine the fair market value for the rental of the requested grounds, buildings, office space or other space, in the condition in which they exist, and shall contract for or lease the premises at a price not to exceed the fair market value.
(d) The commission, council and each governing board may enter into long-term agreements for buildings land and space for periods longer than one fiscal year but not to exceed forty years.
(e) Any lease shall contain, in substance, all the following provisions:
(1) The commission, council or governing board, as lessee, has the right to cancel the lease without further obligation on the part of the lessee upon giving thirty days' written notice to the lessor at least thirty days prior to the last day of the succeeding month;
(2) The lease is considered canceled without further obligation on the part of the lessee if the Legislature or the federal government fails to appropriate sufficient funds for the lease or otherwise acts to impair the lease or cause it to be canceled; and
(3) The lease is considered renewed for each ensuing fiscal year during the term of the lease unless it is canceled by the commission, council or governing board before the end of the then-current fiscal year.
(f) The commission, council or institution that is granted any grounds, buildings, office space or other space leased in accordance with this section may not order or make permanent changes of any type thereto, unless the commission, council or governing board, as appropriate, has first determined that the change is necessary for the proper, efficient and economically sound operation of the institution. For purposes of this section, a "permanent change" means any addition, alteration, improvement, remodeling, repair or other change involving the expenditure of state funds for the installation of any tangible thing that cannot be economically removed from the grounds, buildings, office space or other space when vacated by the institution.
(g) Leases and other instruments for grounds, buildings, office or other space, once approved by the commission, council or governing board, may be signed by the chief executive officer, or designee, of the commission, council or institution.
(h) Any lease or instrument exceeding $100,000 annually shall be approved as to form by the Attorney General. A lease or other instrument for grounds, buildings, office or other space that contains a term, including any options, of more than six months for its fulfillment shall be filed with the State Auditor.