Senate 792

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 792

By Senator Willis

[Introduced February 6, 2026; referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend and reenact §50-1-11 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to courts and officers; and eliminating requirement that Supreme Court of Appeals supply magistrates with copies of West Virginia Code.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. COURTS AND OFFICERS.

§50-1-11. Offices for magistrates; location; expenses; copy of state code.

Subject to the rules of the Supreme Court of Appeals, the location of offices for magistrates shall be determined by order of the judge of the circuit court, or the chief judge thereof if there is more than one judge of the circuit court. When required by geography or population dispersion and in order to make such offices accessible to the public, an order may require more than one location for each magistrate. As near as practicable within a county, all office accommodations shall be comparable. All expenses of acquiring or renting offices and utility and telephone expenses shall be paid by the county. All other expenses, including, but not limited to, expenses for furniture, equipment and supplies, shall be paid by the state. The administrative director of the Supreme Court of Appeals shall supply each magistrate with a current copy of the West Virginia code which shall remain the property of the state.

Magistrates who serve at more than one location within the county, whether on a regular or temporary basis, shall be reimbursed travel expenses for travel between locations at a rate per mile equal to that allowed for reimbursement of travel expenses of officers in the judicial branch of state government.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to eliminate the statutory requirement that the Supreme Court of Appeals supply all magistrates with hard copies of the West Virginia Code.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.