West Virginia Senate Bill SB337

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/13/25
• Refer: 2/13/25

Caption

Division of Protective Services rule relating to ranks and duties of officers within membership of division

Summary

SB 337 authorizes a legislative rule for the West Virginia Division of Protective Services concerning the ranks and duties of officers within the division. The bill amends and reenacts a section of state code governing legislative rule authorization, and specifically approves the rule filed in the State Register on August 28, 2024, under the authority of the Division of Protective Services’ enabling statute. In practical terms, the bill does not create a new program or substantially change substantive law; instead, it gives legal effect to an administrative rule that defines internal organizational structure and officer responsibilities within the Division of Protective Services. The measure is part of the Legislature’s oversight of agency rulemaking and would allow the division to implement its personnel and duty classifications as set out in the approved rule.

Impact

The bill’s main legal impact is to authorize a specific legislative rule, 99 CSR 02, allowing the Division of Protective Services to establish or continue rules on officer ranks and duties. This affects the internal administration of the division and the management of its officers, while leaving broader state law largely unchanged except for the statutory approval of the rule under West Virginia’s legislative rule review process.

Sentiment

The available record suggests a neutral, routine administrative measure rather than a controversial policy bill. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes indicating debate, opposition, or strong advocacy, and the bill’s purpose is narrowly focused on rule authorization. The overall sentiment appears procedural and likely favorable or uncontentious, as is common for agency rule approval bills.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. If any concerns existed, they would likely have centered on the scope of the Division of Protective Services’ authority to define ranks and duties, or on whether the rule appropriately fits within the agency’s statutory powers. However, the absence of transcripts, amendments, or recorded votes suggests no notable dispute is captured in the available record.