ARTICLE 1B. COMMISSION ON INTERSTATE COOPERATION.

§29-1B-1. Senate committee on interstate cooperation.

There is hereby established a standing committee of the Senate of this state, to be officially known as the "Senate committee on interstate cooperation," and to consist of seven senators. The members and the chairman of this committee shall be designated in the same manner as is customary in the case of the members and chairmen of other standing committees of the Senate. In addition to the regular members, the President of the Senate shall be ex officio an honorary nonvoting member of this committee.

§29-1B-2. House committee on interstate cooperation.

There is hereby established a similar standing committee of the House of Delegates of this state, to be officially known as the "house committee on interstate cooperation," to consist of seven members of the House of Delegates. The members and the chairman of this committee shall be designated in the same manner as is customary in the case of the members and chairmen of other standing committees of the House of Delegates. In addition to the regular members, the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall be ex officio an honorary nonvoting member of this committee.

§29-1B-3. West Virginia commission on interstate cooperation.

There is hereby established the West Virginia commission on interstate cooperation. This commission shall be composed of fourteen regular members, namely:

The seven members of the Senate committee on interstate cooperation; and

The seven members of the House committee on interstate cooperation.

The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall be ex officio honorary nonvoting members of this commission and as such shall serve as cochairmen thereof.

§29-1B-4. Terms of Senate and House committees.

The said standing committee of the Senate and the said standing committee of the House of Delegates shall function during the regular sessions of the Legislature and also during the interim periods between such sessions; their members shall serve until their successors are designated; and they shall respectively constitute for this state the Senate council and House council of the American Legislators' Association.

§29-1B-5. Function of commission.

It shall be the function of this commission:

(1) To carry forward the participation of this state as a member of the council of state governments.

(2) To encourage and assist the legislative, executive, administrative and judicial officials and employees of this state to develop and maintain friendly contact by correspondence, by conference, and otherwise, with officials and employees of the other states of the federal government, and of local units of government.

(3) To endeavor to advance cooperation between this state and other units of government whenever it seems advisable to do so by formulating proposals for, and by facilitating:

(a) The adoption of compacts,

(b) The enactment of uniform or reciprocal statutes,

(c) The adoption of uniform or reciprocal administrative rules and regulations,

(d) The informal cooperation of governmental offices with one another,

(e) The personal cooperation of governmental officials and employees with one another, individually,

(f) The institution and consummation of a federal long- range program of flood control, meeting the requirements of the federal flood control acts of one thousand nine hundred thirty- six or other acts of Congress relative thereto,

(g) The interchange and clearance of research and information, and

(h) Any other suitable process.

(4) To perform such duties as from time to time may be assigned to it by the Joint Committee on Government and Finance and to cooperate with the Joint Committee on Government and Finance in joint interim studies.

(5) In short, to do all such acts as will, in the opinion of this commission, enable this state to do its part, or more than its part, in forming a more perfect union among the various governments in the United States and in developing the council of state governments for that purpose.

§29-1B-6. Commission may establish delegations and committees.

The commission shall establish such delegations and committees as it deems advisable, in order that they may confer and formulate proposals concerning effective means to secure intergovernmental harmony, and may perform other functions for the commission in obedience to its decisions. Subject to the approval of the commission, the member or members of each such delegation or committee shall be appointed by the chairman of the commission. State officials or employees who are not members of the commission on interstate cooperation may be appointed as members of any such delegation or committee, but private citizens holding no governmental position in this state shall not be eligible. The commission may provide such other rules as it considers appropriate concerning the membership and the functioning of any such delegation or committee. The commission may provide for advisory boards for itself and for its various delegations and committees, and may authorize private citizens to serve on such boards.

§29-1B-7. Names of committees and commission.

The committees and the commission established by this article shall be informally known, respectively, as the "Senate cooperation committee," the "House cooperation committee," and the "West Virginia cooperation commission."

§29-1B-8. Filing interstate compacts.

(a) Within ninety days of entering into an interstate compact, a commission, agency or person administering the compact between or among states or the federal government, having the force of law and to which this state is a party, shall file with the office of the Secretary of State:

(1) A copy of the compact accompanied by a signed letter of a representative of the commission, agency or person administering the compact stating that the copy is a true and accurate copy of the adopted compact;

(2) A listing of all other jurisdictions party to the compact and the date on which each jurisdiction entered into participation; and

(3) Citations to any act or resolution of the Congress of the United States consenting to the compact.

(b) The commission, agency or person administering the compact shall submit, within a reasonable time from when the information becomes available:

(1) The status of each compact with respect to withdrawals or additions of participating jurisdictions; and

(2) Any amendment, supplementary agreement or administrative rule having the force of law and implementing or modifying the compact.

(c) The office of the Secretary of State shall index these documents and make them available for inspection upon request of any person during normal business hours.

(d) The provisions of this section are in addition to other requirements of law for filing, publication or distribution.

(e) Certified copies of interstate compacts entered into by this state prior to the effective date of this section and the information required to be filed under subsection (a) of this section shall be filed with the office of the Secretary of State by the commission, agency or person administering the compacts within ninety days of the effective date of this section.