§21-1C-3. Legislative findings; statement of policy.

The Legislature finds that the rate of unemployment in this state is significantly higher than that of most other states and that a majority of West Virginia counties are designated as labor surplus areas by the United States department of labor.

The Legislature finds that the employment of persons from outside the local labor market on public improvement construction projects contracted for and subsidized by the taxpayers of the state contributes significantly to the rate of unemployment and the low per capita income among qualified state residents who would otherwise be hired for these jobs.

Therefore, the Legislature declares that residents of local labor markets should be employed for the construction of public improvement projects which directly utilize taxpayer funding, in whole or in part.