§29-1-2. General powers of secretary.

(a) The secretary shall assign and allocate space in all facilities assigned to the department and all space in the building presently known as the West Virginia Science and Culture Center, and any other buildings or sites under the control of the department, and may, in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code, prescribe rules, regulations and fees for the use and occupancy of said facilities, including tours.

(b) The secretary shall coordinate the operations and affairs of the sections and commissions of the department and assign each section or commission responsibilities according to criteria the curator deems most efficient, productive and best calculated to carry out the purposes of this article. The secretary shall provide to the fullest extent possible for centralization and coordination of the bookkeeping, personnel, purchasing, printing, duplicating, binding and other services which can be efficiently combined. The secretary may establish such other sections for such purposes as he or she deems necessary, and may appoint directors thereof. The secretary may appoint a director of the West Virginia Science and Culture Center. The secretary shall serve as the state historic preservation officer.

(c) The secretary shall prepare a proposed department budget for submission to the Governor for each fiscal year.

(d) No contract, agreement or undertaking may be entered into by any section of the department or any section thereof which involves the expenditure of funds without the express written approval of the secretary as to fiscal responsibility.

(e) The secretary shall prepare and submit to the Governor an annual report in accordance with the provisions of §5-1-20 of this code, which report shall include a detailed account of the activities of each section and commission of the department.

(f) The secretary shall employ all personnel for the sections, except for persons in the professional positions established within the sections as provided in this article; and shall supply support services to the commissions and to the Governor’s Mansion Advisory Committee.

(g) On and after July 1, 2025, the secretary may grant or withhold written consent to the proposal of any rule, as defined by §29A-1-2 of this code, by any section or commission listed in §29-1-1(b) of this code. Without the secretary’s written consent, no proposal for a rule filed by any section or commission listed in §29-1-1(b) of this code after July 1, 2025, shall have any force or effect.

(h) The secretary may proposal a repeal, pursuant to either §29A-3-1a(b) or §29A-3-8(c) of this code, as appropriate, of any rule promulgated by the Department of Arts, Culture, and History, the Division of Culture and History, or any section or commission listed in §29-1-1(b) of this code.