West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
West Virginia HB5545: Requiring county economic development committee members be state residents.
Status: Introduced, February 16, 2026
What the bill says
To amend and reenact §7-12-3, §7-12-3a, and §7-12-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring that half of all members of any municipal or county-board commission, authority, or committee are West Virginia residents with at least six months of West Virginia residency immediately preceding the appointment; and requiring that such members are residents of the county or municipality in which the development authority to which they are appointed is situated; and residency requirements for persons serving at the pleasure of any county, board, commission, or commit.
From the introduced text, February 16, 2026:
A BILL to amend and reenact §7-12-3, §7-12-3a, and §7-12-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring that half of all members of any municipal or county-board commission, authority, or committee are West Virginia residents with at least six months of West Virginia residency immediately preceding the appointment; and requiring that such members are residents of the county or municipality in which the development authority to which they are appointed is situated; and residency requirements for persons serving at the pleasure of any county, board, commission, or committee. Article 12. County and Municipal Development Authorities. §7-12-3. Management and control of county authority vested in board; appointment and terms of members; vacancies; removal of members. (a) The management and control of a county authority, its property, operations, business, and affairs shall be lodged in a board of not fewer than seven nor more than 21 qualified persons, as set forth in §7-12-4 of this code, who shall be appointed by the county commission and be known as members of the authority. The county commission shall appoint one member to represent the county commission on the board. Members of the board shall be appointed by the county commission. The members of the authority first appointed shall serve respectively for terms of one year, two years and three …