WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2025 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 2488
By Delegates Pritt, Brooks, Dittman, Clay, Moore, T. Clark, Chiarelli, Roop, T. Howell, and Adkins
[Introduced February 17, 2025; referred to the Committee on Energy and Public Works]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by inserting a new section, designated ยง17-3-11; relating to requiring the Secretary of Transportation to undertake a study to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and costs of installing suicide prevention and safety measures to the New River Gorge Bridge; requiring a report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance; and authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to allocate funds from the State Road Fund, to seek grants, and to enter agreements and contracts to conduct the study and prepare the report.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
## Article 3. State Road Fund.
(a) The Secretary of Transportation is hereby directed to undertake a study to determine the feasibility, anticipated effectiveness, and potential costs involved to install and maintain suicide prevention and safety measures to the New River Gorge Bridge.
(b) In conducting the study required by this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall:
(1) Consult with the Bridge Day Commission to consider whether the subject measures can be installed and maintained in a manner that will permit Bridge Day activities to continue and, if so, the extent to which the potential costs of the subject measures would differ if they were installed in a manner that would not permit Bridge Day activities to continue; and
(2) Determine the availability and extent of federal funding to incorporate the subject measures.
(c) The Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report of the study required by this section to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance by December 31, 2025.
(d) In order to create the report required by this section, the Secretary of Transportation may allocate funds from the State Road Fund; seek or obtain grants to facilitate the study; enter into agreements with other governmental agencies, committees, and educational institutions for the collection and analysis of information; and contract with private persons or companies.
(e) This section is self-terminating and shall be automatically repealed upon the Joint Committee on Government and Finance's receipt of the report required by this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to direct the Department of Transportation to conduct a safety study about suicide deaths on the New River Gorge Bridge and a study on the potential cost and effectiveness of suicide safety nets and a suicide safety system installed on the Bridge.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.