Relating to King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board Act

SB 221 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 221 History

|
Email

Key:
Green
= existing Code.
Red
= new code to be enacted

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026
REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
Senate Bill 221
By Senator Hart
[Introduced January 14, 2025; referred
to the Committee on Economic Development; and then to the Committee on Finance]
A BILL to amend and reenact
§5B-11-1
, §5B-11-2, §5B-11-3, and §5B-11-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to the King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board Act; renaming the West Virginia Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority the King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board; modifying legislative findings for creation of advisory board; reducing membership of advisory board to 11 members; modifying requirements for members of advisory board; and modifying powers and duties of the advisory board.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 11.
WEST VIRGINIA ADVANCED ENERGY AND ECONOMIC CORRIDOR AUTHORITY

King coal Highway Economic Advisory board act
.

§5B-11-1. Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds that the
Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor
counties along the
King Coal Highway
, once known as Tug-Ohio-Levisa-Sandy Improvement Association (TOLSIA)
and the King Coal Highway
which runs through the counties of McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming
has

have
undergone significant
challenges

economic damages
owing to
widespread changes in the national and global economies

harmful federal environmental policies and regulations which drastically impacted the domestic market for coal-fired power generation and severely injured the economies of the counties along the King Coal Highway;
and every effort should be made to assist the
transformation

recovery
of these
injured
regional economies by providing guidance to local governments, businesses, and industries to
maximize
reduce unnecessary regulatory obstacles to organic
economic
development

growth
and
diversification of those economies
leverage our abundant natural energy and material resources, encourage entrepreneurship, and support business creation within the region
. As part of the National Highway System’s I-73/74 corridor from northern Michigan to eastern South Carolina, the
Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor

King Coal Highway
will not only foster greater transportation efficiencies, but will also provide vital connectivity to bourgeoning markets, resulting in both job creation and economic expansion in southern West Virginia.
The
economic development agencies

county commissions
along this corridor are aligning efforts to embrace the
expansion of the energy and economic development policies adopted by the West Virginia Legislature as a tool for economic development and are focused on efforts to

transform and revitalize

opportunities presented by our abundant natural resources and our skilled, creative, and hard-working people to support
the region by fostering partnerships and initiatives which are complementary and supportive of existing successful industries in West Virginia.
The Legislature, by enactment of this article, intends to facilitate implementation of critical and time-sensitive opportunities for economic development along
the Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor

the King Coal Highway
by establishing an
authority

advisory board,
known as the
West Virginia Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority (authority)

King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board
, to facilitate assistance to
these local entities comprised of the economic development agencies of
McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

§5B-11-2.
Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority
King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board
created; membership; terms; meetings; quorum; compensation and expenses; assistance from Department of Economic Development.

(a) The
Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority (authority)

King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board
is hereby created as an independent body corporate. It shall consist of the following
13

11 original
members
who are

involved in economic, commercial, or industrial development in the geographic region of the authority
:
(1) A representative of the
economic development agency of
McDowell County Commission;
(2) A representative of the
economic development agency of
Mercer County Commission;
(3) A representative of the
economic development agency of
Mingo County Commission;
(4) A representative of the
economic development agency of
Wayne County Commission;
(5) A representative of the
economic development agency of

Wyoming County

Commission
;
(6) A representative of the Region 1 Planning and Development Council; and
(7) A representative of the Region 2 Planning and Development Council; and
(8) The following seven members appointed by the Governor, or his or her designee:
(A) A representative from businesses and industries located in the state;
(B) An economic development representative from a utility company that provides service to the corridor region;
(C) Four private sector representatives from the technology, energy, advanced manufacturing, and aviation, aerospace, or advanced air mobility sectors in the corridor region; and
(D)

Two at-large members from regions and counties along the corridor who have knowledge and experience in local issues, economic development, and other areas of expertise
(b) Within the first three meetings, the panel shall nominate and appoint by a majority vote six additional members of the advisory board, consisting of:
(1) One representative with at least seven years of executive experience in the coal mining industry; and
(2) One representative with at least seven years of executive experience in the oil and gas industry; and
(3) One representative with at least seven years of executive experience in the electrical utility industry; and
(4) One representative with at least seven years of executive experience in manufacturing, with emphasis on production of coke, steel, polymers and/or other advanced materials sourced from coal-based feedstocks; and
(5) One representative with at least seven years of executive or managerial experience in production agriculture through ruminant grazing;
(6) One representative with extensive historical knowledge of the counties and communities included in the King Coal Highway.
(b) Each member shall serve a term of five years. Members may be reappointed to additional terms and, upon expiration of their respective terms, shall continue to serve until their successor has been appointed. The chair, vice-chair, and officers shall be selected annually by majority vote of the members. The chair shall schedule meetings and set the agenda for each meeting.
(c) A majority of members, in person or by real-time electronic communication, constitutes a quorum to conduct business at a meeting.
(d) If a member of the authority must recuse himself or herself because of a perceived or actual conflict of interest, a majority of the remaining members of the authority without a conflict shall be sufficient for the conduct of authority business.
(e) Members are not entitled to compensation for services performed as members.

§5B-11-3. Powers and duties of the authority.

(a) The authority shall have
, but not be limited to,
the following powers and duties:
(1) Set specific tactical goals and demonstrable objectives via input from member counties and communities;
(2) Maintain
an inclusive, rather than constraining
,
a
geographic focus on economic development
in the counties contained within the King Coal Highway
;
(3)
Seek out private-public partnerships

Create and coordinate related RFPs when necessary to achieve specific objectives related to multi-county projects critical to its vision
;
(4) Foster partnerships with groups in other states that follow the
I-73/74

King Coal Highway

corridor
to help build broad support for the economic development and infrastructure projects undertaken;
(5)
Communicate with legislators to

discuss

Propose
legislation
for
bonding and tax credits to facilitate economic development along the corridor
improving the business environment in West Virginia to boost overall competitiveness with other states
;
(6) Seek governmental engagement for guidance on local
or
state
regional or national
initiatives to achieve economic development objectives;
(7) Utilize
cutting-edge

appropriate
technologies
and innovation platforms
where their applications will be most beneficial;
(8)
Propose

Discuss effects of potential
legislation
to allow regulatory flexibility along corridor expanded boundaries
toward the goals and objectives of the advisory board
;
(9) Develop a memorandum of understanding with the Appalachian Regional Commission in areas of economic development, transportation, tourism, infrastructure, technology, and other areas beneficial to the member counties and communities, and the state; and
(10)

Develop
(9) Identify
economic
and tourism

asset portfolios

opportunities
for inclusion of the
authority’s

advisory board's
vision; and
(11)

(10)
Apply for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) The authority may also exercise all powers necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Acquire, own, hold, and dispose of property, real and personal, tangible and intangible;
(2) Lease property, whether as lessee or lessor, and to acquire or grant through easement, license, or other appropriate legal form, the right to develop and use property and open it to the use of the public;
(3) Mortgage or otherwise grant security interests on its property;
(4) Procure insurance against any losses in connection with its property, license or easements, contracts, including hold-harmless agreements, operations, or assets in such amounts and from such insurers as the authority considers desirable;
(5) Maintain such sinking funds and reserves as the authority determines appropriate for the purposes of meeting future monetary obligations and needs of the Authority;
(11) Seek advice and expertise from members of the Regional Councils, state or local economic development agencies, or other governmental, nongovernmental, or private entities as needed.
(6)

(12)
Contract for the provision of legal services by private counsel and, notwithstanding any other provision of the code to the contrary, the counsel may, in addition to the provisions of other legal services, represent the
authority

advisory

board
in court, negotiate contracts and other agreements on behalf of the authority, render advice to the
authority

advisory

board
on any matter relating to the
authority

advisory board
, prepare contracts and other agreements, and provide such other legal services as may be requested by the
authority

advisory board, provided that such expenses are paid out of a dedicated fund established within the advisory board with contributions allocated from participating county commissions
;
(7)

(13)

Appoint officers, agents, and employees and

to
Contract for and engage the services of consultants
,

provided that such expenses are paid out of a dedicated fund established within the advisory board with contributions allocated from participating county commissions
;
(8)

(14)

Make contracts of every kind and nature and to execute all instruments necessary or convenient for carrying on its business, including contracts with any other governmental agency of this state or of the federal government or with any person, individual, partnership, or corporation to effect any or all of the purposes of this article
Coordinate contracts when necessary to complete multi-county projects critical to achieving the vision of the advisory board
;
(9)
(15)

Without in any way limiting any other provision of this section, accept grants and loans from, and enter into contracts and other transactions with, any federal agency; and
Seek guidance for participating counties in applying for relevant and timely loans and grants from state or federal sources; and
(10)

(16)
Accept

Coordinate applications and direct
gifts or grants of property, funds, security interests, money, materials, labor, supplies, or services from the federal government or from any governmental unit or any person, firm, or corporation and to carry out the terms or provisions of or make agreements with respect to or pledge any gifts or grants and to do any and all things necessary, useful, desirable, or convenient in connection with the procuring, acceptance, or disposition of gifts or grants
toward the participating counties
.
(c) No liability or obligation is incurred by the
authority
advisory board

beyond the extent to which money is awarded for grant acquisition facilitation.

§5B-11-4. Report to the Legislature.

On or before December 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
authority

advisory board
shall prepare and submit to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance a written report, which may be transmitted electronically, detailing its undertakings for the past year, including, but not limited to, all projects
and any

private-public partnerships
entered into, as well as any recommended legislation or policy actions needed to facilitate greater economic development along the
Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor
King Coal Highway
.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to rename the West Virginia Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority the King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board; to modify the legislative findings for the creation of the advisory board; reduce membership of advisory board to 11 members; modify requirements for members of advisory board; and modify powers and duties of the advisory board.
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: