reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3. Jurisdiction, Powers and Duties

The county commissions, through their clerks, shall have the custody of all deeds and other papers presented for record in their counties and the same shall be preserved therein, or otherwise disposed of as now is, or may be prescribed by law. They shall have jurisdiction in all matters of probate, the appointment and qualification of personal representatives, guardians, committees, curators and the settlement of their accounts and in all matters relating to apprentices. They shall also, under the rules as now are or may be prescribed by law, have the superintendence and administration of the internal police and fiscal affairs of their counties, including the establishment and regulation of roads, ways, streets, avenues, drives and the like, and the naming or renaming thereof, in cooperation with local postal authorities, the Division of Highways and the directors of county emergency communications centers, to assure uniform, nonduplicative conversion of all rural routes to city-type addressing on a permanent basis, bridges, public landings, ferries and mills, with authority to lay and disburse the county levies. They shall, in all cases of contest, judge of the election, qualification and returns of their own members, and of all county and district officers, subject to appeal as prescribed by law. The tribunals as have been heretofore established by the Legislature under and by virtue of section thirty-four, article VIII of the Constitution of one thousand eight hundred seventy-two, for police and fiscal purposes, shall, until otherwise provided by law, remain and continue as at present constituted in the counties in which they have been respectively established, and shall be and act as to police and fiscal matters in lieu of the county commission herein mentioned, until otherwise provided by law. And until otherwise provided by law, the clerk as is mentioned in section twenty-six of said article, as amended, shall exercise any powers and discharge any duties heretofore conferred on, or required of, any court or tribunal established for judicial purposes under said section, or the clerk of the court or tribunal, respectively, respecting the recording and preservation of deeds and other papers presented for record, matters of probate, the appointment and qualification of personal representatives, guardians, committees, curators and the settlement of their accounts and in all matters relating to apprentices. The county commission may not limit the right of any person to purchase, possess, transfer, own, carry, transport, sell or store any revolver, pistol, rifle or shotgun or any ammunition or ammunition components to be used therewith nor to so regulate the keeping of gunpowder so as to, directly or indirectly, prohibit the ownership of the ammunition: Provided, That no provision in this section may be construed to limit the authority of a county to restrict the commercial use of real estate in designated areas through planning or zoning ordinances.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3b. Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Radio Mobile Communication Equipment and Appliances for Use by County Sheriffs and Their Deputies

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby authorized and empowered to purchase, install and maintain radio mobile communication equipment and appliances for the use of the sheriff and his deputies in their respective counties and to pay therefor and for the maintenance thereof out of the county treasury.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3bb. Levy For, Establishment and Operation of Sheltered Workshops; Financial Aid

(a) The county commission in any county is authorized without limiting any other levying authority the counties may have, to levy for and may erect, maintain and operate sheltered workshops in the county and may render financial aid to any one or more sheltered workshop facilities operating in the county.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) "Sheltered workshop" means a particular type of vocational rehabilitation facility where any manufacture or handiwork is carried on and which is operated by a public agency or by a private corporation or association, no part of the net earnings of which inures or may lawfully inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, or by a cooperative, for the primary purpose of providing remunerative employment to disabled persons (a) as an interim step in the rehabilitation process for those who cannot be readily absorbed in the competitive labor market; or (b) during such time as employment opportunities for them in the competitive labor market do not exist; or (c) for providing vocational evaluation and work adjustment services for disadvantaged persons.
(2) "Vocational rehabilitation facility" means a facility which is operated for the primary purpose of providing vocational rehabilitation services to, or gainful employment for, handicapped individuals, or, for providing evaluation and work adjustment services for disadvantaged individuals, and which provides singly or in combination one or more of the following services for handicapped individuals: (a) Comprehensive rehabilitation services which shall include, under one management, medical, psychological, social and vocational services; (b) testing, fitting or training in the use of prosthetic and orthopedic devices; (c) prevocational conditioning or recreational therapy; (d) physical and occupational therapy; (e) therapy for speech and hearing pathology; (f) psychological and social services; (g) evaluation; (h) personal and work adjustment; (i) vocational training (in combination with other rehabilitation services); (j) evaluation or control of special disabilities; and (k) extended employment for the severely handicapped who cannot be readily absorbed in the competitive labor market; but all medical and related health services must be prescribed by, or under the formal supervision of, persons licensed to practice medicine or surgery in the state.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3c. Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Photo Copying Equipment, Microphotographic or Other Miniature Photographic Processes, Appliances and Supplies

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby authorized and empowered to purchase, install and maintain photo copying equipment, microphotographic, or other miniature photographic processes, appliances and supplies designated for copying photographically or microphotographically all or any number of its deeds, documents, books, records, plats or maps, or other writing, for use by the clerks of the several county courts and to pay therefor and for the maintenances thereof out of the county treasury. The actions of the county courts in heretofore purchasing and maintaining such equipment is now ratified.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3d. Levy For, Establishment, and Operation of Fire Prevention Units; Financial Aid

(a) The county commission in any county may:
(1) Levy for and erect, maintain, and operate fire stations; and
(2) Form county fire prevention units, and supply equipment therefor in the county: Provided, That if a county commission establishes a separate county fire prevention unit in any city in West Virginia that is now operating under the provisions of the state civil service act for paid fire departments, then the new unit shall be operated in accordance with the provisions of the civil service act. Any such unit shall be formed and recognized under the regulations of the State Fire Commission for local fire departments.
(b) Any county commission may render financial aid to any one or more public fire protection facilities in operation in the county for the general benefit of the public in the prevention of fires.
(c) Any county commission may also authorize volunteer fire companies or paid fire departments to charge reasonable reimbursement fees for personnel and equipment used in performing firefighting services, victim rescue, or cleanup of debris or hazardous materials by department personnel.
(1) The rate for any such fees to be charged to property owners or other persons responsible or liable for payment for such services must be approved by the county commission and must be reasonable: Provided, That no fee for any single incident or accident shall exceed $1,500, except that the fee for an incident or accident involving hazardous materials or extended search and rescue and water rescue incidents may exceed this amount based on the necessary and reasonable costs incurred.
(2) The county commission shall require that any fees charged pursuant to the authority conferred by this section must be in writing and be itemized by specific services rendered and the rate for each service.
(3) Unless exempt by law, any person, partnership, corporation, or governmental agency shall be fully responsible for all charges levied by this section within 75 days of the date of the response resulting in such charge. Payment to the fire department or company rendering the services shall be in full, unless a written agreement has been reached between the fire department or company and the responsible party to establish a payment schedule to satisfy all charges.
(4) If payment for services rendered has not been received within 90 days from the date of response, and if a payment schedule has not been established, a fire department or company may proceed in magistrate court or in other appropriate court action to recover from the responsible party all fees associated with the response, including attorney fees and court costs.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3dd. Authority to Establish County Wage and Benefits Review Board; Duties and Powers; Membership

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, such commissions are hereby authorized to establish employee wage and benefits review boards.
If a county commission elects to create such a board, the board shall establish uniform:
(a) Employee salary scales with ranges of minimum and maximum figures for each type of position within the county. Compensation within and between each salary range shall be based on merit, commensurate with experience, education and demonstrated job performance;
(b) Job descriptions for each type of position, including assistants, deputies and employees not covered by a civil service system;
(c) Vacation policies to be consistently applied among different employees in the same type of work;
(d) Policies governing sick leave and vacation leave, including accumulation of leave from year to year;
(e) County-wide grievance policies, which shall be pursued to the fullest extent before any judicial remedy may be sought; and
(f) Other personnel practices which reflect sound, modern administrative practice.
In addition to the above duties of an employee benefits review board, the board shall establish procedures for receiving and reviewing comments and suggestions of county employees and of any citizen of the county regarding job descriptions, salary schedules and personnel policies developed for county assistants, deputies and employees not covered by a civil service system.
The employee benefits review board shall consist of the following members:
(1) One county commissioner selected by the county commission;
(2) County clerk;
(3) County sheriff;
(4) County assessor;
(5) Clerk of the circuit court in which the county is located;
(6) Prosecuting attorney; and
(7) Two county employees selected by the county commission, one of whom shall be a member of a county civil service system, in counties which have such systems, and one of whom shall not be covered by civil service. Each employee member shall be selected from a different county office. Neither employee member shall be an elected official.
The county commission shall appropriate sufficient funds for the board to accomplish in a reasonable and proper manner the duties specified herein.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3e. Acquisition of Land For, and Operation Of, Public Refuse Dumps and Sanitary Landfills

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, such commissions are hereby empowered to acquire, by purchase, right of eminent domain, lease, gift, or otherwise, land for the establishment of public refuse dumps and sanitary landfills, and to operate and maintain such dumps and fills, and to pay for such land, and the operation and maintenance of such dumps and fills, in whole or in part, either out of general funds in the county treasury, or out of special funds to be derived from fees paid by users of such facilities: Provided, That the authority granted by this section expires on January 1, 1989.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3ee. Providing for Payment of Service Fees at Banking Institutions

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code the county commission may enter into a contract with one or more banking institutions, as defined in section two, article one, chapter thirty-one-a of this code, doing business in the county for the purpose of receiving payment of any service fee authorized in this article or elsewhere in this code.
Any such contract shall specify the manner in which the fees received shall be paid over to the county and a method for verification by the county commission of all amounts received pursuant to the contract. The contract may provide for the payment of a reasonable fee for the provision of such services by the banking institution.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3f. Establishment and Operation of Garbage and Refuse Collection and Disposal Services

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, such commissions are hereby empowered to establish, operate and maintain, either directly or by contract, garbage and refuse collection and disposal services, and to pay for the establishment, operation and maintenance of such collection and disposal services, in whole or in part, either out of general funds in the county treasury, or out of special funds to be derived from fees charged to and paid by the users of such services or a combination of both such general revenue or special fund: Provided, That the power and authority hereby conferred upon county commissions shall not be exercised in territory included within the boundaries of any municipal corporation, except as provided herein. Any county commission for the purpose of implementing this section is hereby authorized to enter into such contract or contracts with any municipality or county within this state for the purposes of carrying out the powers vested in such county commissions by this section, and all said county commissions may, pursuant to such contract, exercise the authority herein granted within such contracting municipality: Provided, however, That where an area is furnished garbage and refuse collection service by an existing carrier under authority issued by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, the county commission may enter into contracts or agreements with such carrier to supplement such existing service, but shall not enter into any competing service without authority being granted by the Public Service Commission.
The term "users" as used herein shall mean and include any person to whom such services are made available under the provisions of this section.
The authority granted by this section expires on January 1, 1989.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3g. Acquisition, Operation, and Maintenance of Sewerage Systems and Sewage Plants

In addition to all other powers and duties not conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby empowered to acquire, by purchase, right of eminent domain, lease, gift, or otherwise, and to operate and maintain, sewerage systems and sewage treatment plants, and to pay the cost of operation and maintenance thereof out of a special fund to be derived from sewerage service fees paid by the users of such sewerage system or sewage treatment plant: Provided, however, That the power and authority hereby conferred on county courts shall not extend into territory within the boundaries of any municipal corporation, sanitary district or public service district.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3gg. Lease Agreements for Equipment or Materials With Option to Cancel or Renew

(a) In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, county commissions are hereby authorized and empowered to enter into and execute a lease agreement to obtain equipment or material.
(b) The lease agreement may not be voided because it provides: (1) That title to the equipment or material shall vest in the county commission at or before the expiration of the leasehold term upon fulfillment of the terms and conditions stipulated in the lease agreement; (2) for application of the annual rental payments made under the lease agreement toward the purchase price of the equipment or material, although the total rental payments under the lease agreement are in excess of the cash price of the equipment or material described in the lease agreement, whether the excess is by way of interest or a time-price differential; and/or (3) that the risk of loss of the equipment or material shall be borne by the county commission.
(c) A lease agreement shall be void, unless the lease agreement provides that the county commission has the following options, during each fiscal year of the lease agreement: (1) The option to terminate the lease agreement and return the equipment or material without any further obligation on the part of the county commission; and (2) the option to continue the lease agreement for an additional rental period not to exceed one year in length.
When the lease agreement contains the provisions described in subdivisions (1), (2) and (3), subsection (b) of this section, then the following option must be included: The option to pay in advance at any time during any fiscal year the balance due under the lease agreement, with an appropriate rebate of the unearned interest or time-price differential.
(d) The funds for the initial rental payment under a lease agreement must be legally at the disposal of the county commission for expenditure in the fiscal year in which the lease agreement is executed. If the county commission elects during any subsequent fiscal year to continue the lease agreement for any additional rental period or to pay in advance the balance due, the funds for the additional rental period or the funds to be used to pay the balance in advance must be legally at the disposal of the county commission for expenditure in the fiscal year in which the county commission elects to continue the lease agreement or to pay in advance the balance due.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3h. Authority and Procedure for Closing Unused Roads, Streets and Travel Ways; Notice and Hearing; Circuit Court Review

The county court of any county, upon the verified application of any landowner whose land abuts on any unused road, street, or other travel way designated on any map or plat of a subdivision of land or otherwise within such county but outside of incorporated towns or cities thereof, is hereby authorized to close and vacate any part or all of any such unused road, street or other designated travel way by order entered of record after hearing as hereinafter provided. Before acting to close and vacate any such road, street or travel way, the county court shall consider the application and shall fix a time and place for hearing on such application. Such hearing shall be held not less than fifteen days after the hearing date and place have been so fixed. The applicant shall cause notice of the time and place of such hearing and the purpose thereof to be published as a Class I legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the county. The notice shall be published at least fifteen days before such hearing. The applicant shall also cause to be served, at least fifteen days before such hearing, in the manner provided by law for the service of notices and process, a notice showing the time, place and purpose of such hearing, upon every owner of property, and every person holding a lien thereon, abutting on such unused road, street or other travel way. The affidavit of publication of such notice shall be filed with the county court at or before the hearing as a part of the record in the proceedings.
At the time and place fixed for the hearing, the county court shall hear any evidence relating to the use of and rights or claims in or to any such road, street or other designated travel way sought to be closed and vacated. If the county court concludes and finds upon the record and evidence in the proceedings that the use and rights of no person or persons in such road, street or other travel way will be impaired or lost by the closing and vacation thereof, the county court shall proceed to enter an order closing and vacating such road, street or other travel way and shall cause a copy of said order to be prepared and certified for entry of record in the office of the clerk of such county court. The applicant shall pay the recording fee thereon.
Any person aggrieved by the action of the county court in any such case may seek review thereof in the circuit court of the county as provided in article three of chapter fifty-eight of this code.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3hh. Authority to Lease, Sell or Dispose of County Property to the State, Federal Government or an Instrumentality Thereof

Every county commission, building commission created pursuant to article thirty-three, chapter eight of this code and development authority created pursuant to article twelve of this chapter is authorized to sell, lease as lessor or dispose of any of its real or personal property or any interest therein or any part thereof, as authorized in article five, chapter one of this code, or to the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or to the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof, for a public purpose for an adequate consideration, without considering alone the commercial or market value of such property.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3i. County Commission May Cooperate With Other Governmental Units

Any county commission may join together in the exercise of any of its powers, duties and responsibilities, or otherwise cooperate with any other county or counties, municipality or municipalities, the government of this state or of the United States in carrying out any lawful purpose not in conflict with the Constitution of West Virginia: Provided, That the county commission of any county sharing a common border with any other state is hereby empowered to enter into reciprocal agreements with governmental subdivisions or agencies of such other state for the protection of people and property from fire and for emergency medical services and for the reciprocal use of county equipment and personnel for such purpose.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3ii. Authority to Require Posting of Commercial and Residential Addresses Within Municipal Boundaries

In addition to all other powers now conferred by law upon county commissions, the commissions are hereby authorized to require owners, residents or occupants of factory-built homes situated in a factory-built home rental community with at least ten factory-built homes to visibly post the specific numeric portion of the address of each factory-built home on the immediate premises of the factory-built home of sufficient size to be visible from the adjoining street: Provided, That if no numeric or other specific designation of an address exists for a factory-built home subject to the authorization granted by this section, the commission has the authority to provide a numeric or other specific designation of an address for the factory-built home and require that it be posted in accordance with the authority otherwise granted by this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3j. Authority to Establish County Coordinating Council; Powers and Duties of Council; Duties of County Clerk

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby authorized and empowered to establish a county coordinating council for the purpose of coordinating county improvement programs with state and federal programs designed for this purpose. The council hereby created shall gather necessary facts and data and formulate needed local programs. The council shall submit the foregoing facts, data and plans to the county court for its guidance. The council shall act only in an advisory capacity. The county clerk is hereby designated the secretary of the council. The clerk shall attend all meetings of the council. He shall keep a record of all proceedings and shall transmit a copy of all such proceedings to the county court. The clerk shall also perform such other reasonable duties as may be required of him by the council.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3jj. Authority of Counties to Enact Ordinances Restricting the Location of Businesses Offering Exotic Entertainment

(a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "Exotic entertainment" means live entertainment, dancing or other services conducted by persons while nude or seminude in a commercial setting or for profit.
(2) "Seminude" means the appearance of:
(A) The female breast below a horizontal line across the top of the areola at its highest point, including the entire lower portion of the human female breast, but does not include any portion of the cleavage of the human female breast exhibited by a dress, blouse, skirt, leotard, bathing suit or other wearing apparel provided the areola is not exposed, in whole or in part;
(B) A human bare buttock, anus, anal cleft or cleavage, pubic area, male genitals, female genitals or vulva, with less than a fully opaque covering; or
(C) A human male genital in a discernibly turgid state even if completely and opaquely covered.
(b) A county commission may, by order entered of record, adopt an ordinance that limits the areas of the county in which a business may offer "exotic entertainment". However, an ordinance enacted pursuant to this section may not affect a business offering exotic entertainment prior to the effective date of the ordinance.
(c) The ordinance is subject to the provisions of section ten, article seven, chapter eight-a of this code: Provided, That in the event of the partial or total loss of any existing business structure due to fire, flood, accident or any other unforeseen act, that business structure may be repaired or replaced and the business use of that structure may continue notwithstanding the existence of any ordinance authorized by this section. Any repair or replacement is limited to restoring or replacing the damaged or lost structure with one reasonably similar, or smaller, in size as measured in square footage, and any enlargement of the business structure subjects the structure to any existing ordinance authorized by this section.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, no ordinance enacted pursuant to the provisions of this section applies to or affects any municipal corporation that either: (1) Has adopted and has in effect an ordinance restricting the location of exotic entertainment or substantially similar businesses pursuant to the authority granted in article twelve, chapter eight of this code, or chapter eight-a of this code; or (2) adopts an ordinance to exempt itself from any county ordinance enacted pursuant to this section.
(e) Any person adversely affected by an ordinance enacted pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (b) of this section is entitled to seek direct judicial review with regard to whether the ordinance impermissibly burdens his or her right to establish a business offering exotic entertainment.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3k. Authority to Lease, Rent or Permit the Use of County Property

The county commission of each county is authorized to lease, rent or to permit the use of county-owned buildings, lands and other properties or any portion thereof by nonprofit organizations. Authorized uses pursuant to this section shall include the granting of meeting places, service outlets and operational headquarters for organizations established within the county.
Each county commission is authorized to charge and collect fees for uses of county properties pursuant to this section. In addition, each county commission is empowered to promulgate rules and regulations in order to carry out the provisions of this section within the county.
The allocation of county properties for use by organizations shall be controlled either by the county commission or, optionally, by a panel which may be appointed by the commission for this purpose. Any panel appointed pursuant to this section shall consist of not less than three nor more that five members who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the commission. All decisions of a panel, if one is appointed, shall be subject to review by the county commission.
If a panel is appointed pursuant to this section, each member shall be a resident of the county in which the panel sits. A majority of the panel shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all matters shall be decided by the majority vote of those members present at a meeting. Each panel is authorized to select from among its members one secretary, who shall keep a record of all proceedings, and one chairman. A member may be entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3kk. Authority to Provide for the Elimination of Hazards to Public Health and Safety; Penalty

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, commissions are hereby authorized to enact ordinances, issue orders and take other appropriate and necessary actions for the elimination of hazards to public health and safety and to abate or cause to be abated anything which the commission determines to be a public nuisance. The ordinances may provide for a misdemeanor penalty for its violation. The ordinances may further be applicable to the county in its entirety or to any portion of the county as considered appropriate by the county commission.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3l. Authority to Establish County Appraisal-Assessment Board; Functions and Duties of Board; Duties of Assessor

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby authorized and empowered to establish a county appraisal-assessment advisory board. The purpose for which this board is created is to enable the county court, acting as the board of review and equalization, to better perform its duties in reviewing property assessments and to better inform the public with regard to assessments generally. The board is hereby authorized to review all appraisals made by the State Tax Commissioner under the provisions of section four, article nine-a, chapter eighteen of the code and all assessments made by the assessor and to submit to the county court all pertinent data and information gathered by the appraisal-assessment advisory board. The county assessor is hereby designated the secretary of the board. The assessor shall attend all meetings of the board. He shall keep record of all proceedings and shall transmit a copy of all such proceedings to the county court. The assessor shall also perform such other reasonable duties as may be required of him by the board.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3ll. Clerk of the County Commission Duties Relating to Record Keeping of Military Discharge Forms

(a) The county commission shall order that the clerk of the county commission wherein a person discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States resides record, upon presentation, free of charge, the original or a properly authenticated copy of either the discharge certificate or the report of separation from active duty (Department of Defense Document DD-214), or both, and maintain the discharge certificate or report, or both, in the clerks office in a secure manner, rendering the records unavailable to the public.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of 29B-1-1
et seq
. of this code, discharge certificates and reports of separation from active duty recorded pursuant to this section may be copied or inspected only by the following:
(1) The person of the record, their spouse, child, grandchild, parent, or sibling;
(2) The duly qualified conservator or guardian of the person of the record;
(3) The duly qualified executor or administrator of the estate of the person of the record, if deceased, or, in the event no executor or administrator has qualified, the next of kin of the deceased person;
(4) An attorney, attorney-in-fact, or other agent or representative of any of the persons described in subdivision (1), (2) or (3), subsection (b) of this section, acting pursuant to a written power of attorney or other written authorization; or
(5) A duly authorized representative of an agency or instrumentality of federal, state, or local government seeking the record in the ordinary course of performing its official duties.
(c) Under the circumstances where time is of the essence, including, but not limited to, requests for copies of records attendant to the making of funeral arrangements or arrangements for medical care, the clerk, in ascertaining whether a person seeking access to discharge certificates or reports of separation from active duty is qualified to do so pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may rely upon the sworn statement of the requestor made in person before the clerk or his or her deputy.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the clerk may permit access to discharge certificates or reports of separation from active duty of deceased persons for bona fide genealogical or other research purposes:
Provided
, That in accordance with federal law, the clerk shall permit access to discharge certificates or reports of separation from active duty of military veterans who retired, were discharged, or died in service 62 years or more prior to the date of such a request was made.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3m. Authority to Employ, Fix Compensation for and Discharge Personnel

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts or tribunals in lieu thereof, hereinafter referred to as county courts or courts, such courts are hereby empowered to employ, fix compensation for and discharge such clerical, stenographic, technical, professional and other personnel, including specialists and consultants, as may from time to time be necessary to aid such courts in exercising their powers or discharging their duties as provided by law and including a county administrator, to coordinate the court's activities and to do such other things as the court may direct: Provided, That such courts shall not have the power to employ any such personnel to perform powers and duties that are performed by such courts through their clerks pursuant to law.
The county courts shall, not later than March twenty-eight of each year, take up and consider the probable amount necessary to be expended for such personnel in the following fiscal year; shall determine and fix an aggregate sum to be expended during the following fiscal year for the compensation of such personnel, which shall be reasonable and proper, taking into account the amount of labor and services necessary to be performed by those who are to receive the compensation; and shall make and enter an order stating any action taken in this regard.
The county courts shall file with their clerks a statement in writing showing such action and setting forth the name of each person employed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the time for which employed and the monthly compensation. Such courts shall have authority to discharge at their will and pleasure, any such personnel by filing with their clerks a statement in writing showing such action, to be entered in, and made a part of, their order book or other daily record book. All statements required to be filed by this section shall be verified by the affidavit of a majority of the members of the county court making them, and among other things contained in the affidavit shall be the statement that the amounts shown therein were the amounts actually paid or intended to be paid to each person employed without rebates, or any agreement, understanding and expectation that any part thereof shall be repaid to any of such members making said affidavit, and that nothing has heretofore been paid or promised any of such members making said affidavit on that account, and that if any of such members making said affidavit shall thereafter receive any money, or thing of value, on account thereof, the same will be accounted for and paid to the county. Until the statements required by this section shall have been filed, no allowance or payments shall be made by the county courts for personnel.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3mm. Transfer of Development Rights in Growth Counties

(a) In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, if a county has been designated as a growth county as that term is defined in section three, article twenty of this chapter, those county commissions, upon approval by a majority of the legal votes cast at an election as provided in section three-nn of this article, are hereby authorized to, as part of a county-wide zoning ordinance, establish a program for the transfer of development rights in order to:
(1) Encourage the preservation of natural resources;
(2) Protect the historic, scenic, recreational and agricultural qualities of open lands; and
(3) Facilitate orderly growth and development in the county.
(b) The program for the transfer of development rights may provide for:
(1) The voluntary transfer of the development rights permitted on any parcel of land to another parcel of land for use in accordance with the zoning and subdivision ordinance;
(2) Restricting or prohibiting further development of the parcel from which development rights are severed; and
(3) Increasing the density or intensity of development of the parcel to which such rights are transferred.
(c) The program for the transfer of development rights shall:
(1) Designate a program for which development rights may be transferred from any parcel of land to any other parcel of land for use in accordance with the zoning and subdivision ordinance;
(2) Provide that any rights transferred under this section be for a period of ten years and may be renewed for additional ten year periods; and
(3) Any rights which expire before being used for development, revert to the original parcel of land from which the rights were first severed.
(d) The county commission may not set a price for any development rights that are proposed to be transferred or received.
(e) "Transferable development rights" means an interest in real property that constitutes the right to develop and use property under the zoning ordinance which is made severable from the parcel to which the interest is appurtenant and transferable to another parcel of land for development and use in accordance with the zoning ordinance.
(f) Transferable development rights may be transferred by deed from the owner of the parcel from which the development rights are derived and upon the transfer shall vest in the grantee and be freely alienable.
(g) The zoning ordinance may provide for:
(1) The method of transfer of development rights;
(2) Recordation of the date of each transfer;
(3) The names of the transferor and transferee;
(4) A description of the property;
(5) The granting of easements;
(6) Reasonable regulations to effect and control transfers and assure compliance with the provisions of the ordinance; and
(7) Any other information necessary to administer the program.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3n. Authority of Certain Counties as to Building and Housing Codes; State Building Code

(a) In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, county commissions are hereby authorized and empowered, by order duly entered of record, to adopt building and housing codes establishing and regulating minimum building and housing standards for the purpose of improving the health, safety
,
and well-being of its citizens. Such codes may be adopted either for the entire county, or for any portion or portions of such county which may constitute an effective area or areas for such purposes, without the necessity of adopting such codes for any other portion of such county. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection to the contrary, no such code shall apply to or affect any territory within the boundaries of any municipal corporation which has adopted and in effect a housing and building code, unless and until such municipal corporation so provides by ordinance, or to structures on parcels of land used primarily for agricultural purposes. If a county adopts a property maintenance code or ordinance, including, but not limited to, the ICC International Property Maintenance Code, such code or ordinance shall exempt all property used for agricultural purposes. Any such code heretofore adopted by any county will be and is unenforceable as to agricultural property.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, all existing county building codes are void one year after the promulgation of a state building code by the State Fire Commission as provided in 29-3-5b of this code.
Upon the voidance of the county's existing building code, if the county commission votes to adopt a building code, it must be the state building code promulgated pursuant to 29-3-5b of this code.
(c) In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county commissions, county commissions are hereby authorized and empowered, by order duly entered of record, to adopt such state building code upon promulgation by the State Fire Commission. However, such state building code shall not apply to or affect any territory within the boundaries of any municipal corporation which has not adopted the state building code.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3nn. Election on Ordinance for Program for Transfer of Development Rights; Form of Ballots or Ballot Labels; Procedure

(a) A county commission which has been designated as a growth county may submit a proposed ordinance to establish a program for the transfer of development rights pursuant to section three-mm of this article to the qualified voters residing within the county for approval or rejection at any regular primary or general election. Notice of the election shall be provided and the ballots shall be printed as set forth in subsection (b) of this section. The ordinance may be adopted if it is approved by a majority of the legal votes cast thereon in that county. If the ordinance is rejected, no election on the issue shall be held thereafter for a period of one hundred four weeks.
(b) On the election ballots shall be printed the following:
Shall the county commission of be authorized to adopt an ordinance to establish a program for the transfer of development rights in accordance with section three-mm, article one, chapter seven of the Code of West Virginia?
/ / Yes
/ / No
(c) If a majority of the legal votes cast upon the question be for the ordinance, the provisions of the ordinance become effective upon the date the results of the election are declared. If a majority of the legal votes cast upon the question be against the ordinance, the ordinance shall not take effect.
(d) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, an election permitted by this section may be conducted at any regular primary or general election as the county commission in its order submitting the same to a vote may designate.
(e) Notice of an election pursuant to this section shall be given by publication of the order calling for a vote on the question as a Class II-0 legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code and the publication area for the publication shall be the county in which the election is to be conducted.
(f) Any election permitted by this section shall be held at the voting precincts established for holding primary or general elections. All of the provisions of the general election laws of this state applicable to primary or general elections not inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall apply to voting and elections authorized by this section.
2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers › Article 1. County Commissions Generally › §7-1-3o. Authority to Construct and Maintain County Transportation, Parking, and Other Public Facilities; Delegation of Such Authority to Board or Commission; Financing

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts, such courts are hereby authorized and empowered to construct, reconstruct, establish, acquire, improve, renovate, extend, enlarge, increase, own, equip, repair (including replacement), maintain and operate transportation terminals, county and other public facilities and motor vehicle parking facilities (including parking lots, buildings, ramps, curbline parking, meters and other facilities deemed necessary, appropriate, useful, convenient or incidental to the regulation, control and parking of motor vehicles).
The power and authority conferred upon the county courts in this section may be exercised by the county courts directly or may be delegated to commissions or boards created by the county courts for this purpose.
In order to pay for all costs and expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this section, any county court is authorized to issue general obligation bonds of the county if the issuance thereof has been authorized by the voters of such county as provided by law.