WEST virginia legislature
2025 regular session
Engrossed
Committee Substitute
for
Senate Bill 790
By Senator Maynard
[Reported March 27, 2025, from the Committee on Government Organization]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding four new sections, designated §8-19-1a, §8-20-1d, §16-13-18b, and 16-13A-1d, relating to requiring quarterly reporting by water and wastewater utilities that are political subdivisions of the state to their governing bodies; and requiring annual continuing education for board members and senior management.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
# CHAPTER 8. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.
## ARTICLE 19. MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY WATERWORKS AND ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS.
(a) The Legislature finds that municipal and county waterworks provide critical water utility services to West Virginians. Proper oversight by governing bodies and board member training are necessary to ensure financial accountability, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.
(b) Any municipal governing body that is operating or has oversight of a waterworks system shall require that waterworks system to provide quarterly operational and financial reports to the governing body of the municipality.
(c) Any county commission with oversight of a waterworks system shall require that waterworks system to provide quarterly operational and financial reports to the county commission.
(d) Continuing education. — Any municipal governing body or county commission that is operating or has oversight of a waterworks system shall require all board members and senior managers of the municipal or county waterworks system to complete at least six hours of continuing education annually, focusing on financial management, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.
## ARTICLE 20. COMBINED SYSTEMS.
(a) The Legislature finds that combined municipal waterworks and sewerage systems provide critical utility services to West Virginians. Proper oversight by governing bodies and board member training are necessary to ensure financial accountability, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.
(b) Any municipal governing body that is operating or that has oversight of a combined waterworks and sewerage system shall require the combined municipal waterworks and sewerage system to provide quarterly operational and financial reports to the governing body of the municipality.
(c) Continuing education. — Any municipal governing body that is operating or has oversight of a combined waterworks and sewerage system shall require all combined municipal waterworks and sewerage systems board members and senior management to complete at least six hours of continuing education annually, focusing on financial management, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.
# Chapter 16. Public Health.
## ARTICLE 13. SEWAGE WORKS AND STORMWATER WORKS.
(a) The Legislature finds that municipal sanitary boards provide critical wastewater utility services and may also provide stormwater service to West Virginians. Proper oversight by governing bodies and board member training are necessary to ensure financial accountability, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.
(b) Any municipal governing body that is operating or that has oversight of a sewage or stormwater system supervised and controlled by a municipal sanitary board shall require the sanitary board to provide quarterly operational and financial reports to the governing body of the municipality.
(c) Continuing education. — A municipal governing body shall require all municipal sanitary board members and senior management to complete at least six hours of continuing education annually, focusing on financial management, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.
## ARTICLE 13A. PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS.
(b) Any county commission that has created or established public service districts whose principal offices are within the county shall require every such public service district utility to provide quarterly operational and financial reports to the county commission.
(c) Continuing education. — Every county commission shall require all board members and senior managers of any public service district whose principal offices are within the county to complete at least six hours of continuing education annually, focusing on financial management, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.