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SB1015 • 2026
Establishing Drainage Relief Fund
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Establishing Drainage Relief Fund
To Finance
Reported do pass, but first to Finance
To Government Organization
Introduced in Senate
To Government Organization then Finance
Filed for introduction
Establishing Drainage Relief Fund
SB 1015 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO. NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Introduced Version Senate Bill 1015 History | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION FISCAL NOTE Introduced Senate Bill 1015 By Senator Morris [Introduced February 19, 2026; referred to the Committee on Government Organization; and then to the Committee on Finance] A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §17-16-10, relating to establishing the Drainage Relief Fund; creating project process selection procedures; providing for stakeholder contributions for requested changes or upgrades; and providing for rulemaking. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: Article 16. Obstructions. §17-16-10. Funds for drainage obstruction in counties or municipalities. (a) The Legislature finds that: (1) Water drainage issues that adversely affect or may affect state roads may extend onto private property beyond the bounds of the state road system; (2) Such drainage issues may evolve over time and may develop, foreseeably or unforeseeably, for various reasons, including degradation of drainage structures installed by current or prior tenants, landowners, or other occupiers of such property; (3)The remediation of these drainage issues is necessary and beneficial to the citizens and communities of West Virginia; and (4) Oftentimes private landowners do not have the expertise or financial resources to remedy such drainage issues. (b) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special revenue fund designated and known as the Drainage Remediation Fund which is an interest-and-earnings accumulating account. The fund shall receive legislative appropriations, grants, gifts, devises, and donations from any public or private source. All interest and other returns derived from the deposit and investment of moneys in the Drainage Remediation Fund shall be credited to the fund. Any balance, including accrued interest and other returns, remaining in the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the fund and be expended as provided in this section. (c) The fund shall be administered by the Commissioner of Highways who, upon application by county commissions and municipalities in such form as required by the Commissioner of Highways, may expend the funds in his or her discretion on drainage projects for the maintenance and preservation of the state road system, which projects may include work and expenditure of funds outside of state property if necessary or most effective for the protection of the roads. (c) Drainage remediation projects may be performed without resort to the obstruction procedures provided in this article. (d) County commissions, municipalities, and private landowners may request a desired upgrade of a project under this section with the agreement that the county commission, municipalities, or private landowners fully reimburse the fund for the requested upgrade. (e) If necessary, the Commissioner may utilize the powers of eminent domain as provided in §17-2A-17 of this code, and any projects pursuant to this section shall be considered "state road purposes" for the purposes thereof. (f) After evaluation of applications received, the Commissioner may select projects to be performed based upon available funds and the percentage of costs any county commission, municipality, or other person or entity commits to a project. (g) At the end of each fiscal year, all unobligated monies in excess of the fund’s needs may revert back to the State Road Fund at the discretion of the Commissioner. (h) The Commissioner of Highways may propose legislative, procedural, or emergency rules for promulgation in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to implement this section. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Drainage Remediation Fund and to provide a procedure to remedy drainage and obstruction matters which may degrade the state road system. Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added. Bill Status | Bill Tracking | Legacy WV Code | Bulletin Board | District Maps | Senate Roster | House Roster | Live | Blog | Jobs | Links | Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information. | Terms of Use | Webmaster | © 2026 West Virginia Legislature ** Print On Demand Name: Email: Phone: