By JAKE ZUCKERMAN
Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill Thursday codifying a 2016 court ruling that tilted control of the state Senate to the Republican Party.
House Bill 3004 states that, if any officeholders resign in the midst of their term, they must be replaced with a member of their registered political party at the time of the resignation — not necessarily at the time of their election.
The bill also adds the same provisions to constitutional officeholders — such as the attorney general, secretary of state or treasurer — who vacate an office in the midst of a term. If any such officers resigned, their corresponding party’s executive committee would give the governor a list of three names from which to choose.
Lawmakers introduced a similar bill last year, although it never made it to the floor. According to House Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, the bill arose in the wake of a state Supreme Court case regarding former senator Daniel Hall resigning from the Senate to lobby for the National Rifle Association.
Read the entire article: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/legislative_session/elected-office-vacancy-bill-passes-wv-house/article_dd3961ee-4de7-5547-ba73-d17e90ec753e.html
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