adversely impact the agricultural community and/
or rural West Virginia.
should not be forced to accept public service or be
charged for that service if not accepted.
129. RIGHT TO WORK
West Virginia Farm Bureau recommends that the
West Virginia Legislature place the right to work issue
on the ballot.
136. COUNTY REFERENDUMS
West Virginia Farm Bureau recommends legislation
requiring that a referendum that is defeated in a county
election cannot be placed on the ballot again for four
years, and then must coincide with a General Election.
130. RIGHT TO WORK FOR CHILDREN
West Virginia Farm Bureau favors amending the
137. SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT FOR
Fair Labor Standards Act to restore the right of persons IMPOSITION OF COUNTY FEES
under age 14 to work on farms during non-school
West Virginia Farm Bureau believes that the
time, with the written consent of parent(s) or guardian. signature requirement to impose a fee for services at
the county level, which is 10% of voters who have
131. STRIKES OR WORK STOPPAGES BY
voted in the last election, should be equal to or greater
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
than the signature requirement necessary to force a
West Virginia Farm Bureau favors legislation
ballot vote, which is 20% of voters who have voted in
to prohibit strikes by government employees. We
the last election.
recommend that the penalty be forfeiture of tenure and
seniority rights.
138. COUNTY RECORDS
Information now available in the County Clerkâs
132. REPEAL OF DAVIS-BACON ACT
records includes deaths, births, marriages, sex, marital
West Virginia Farm Bureau urges the repeal of
status, and names of children. West Virginia Farm
the Davis-Bacon Act and similar state legislation.
Bureau recommends that the name of the cemetery
Prevailing wages are often artificially high and may be where a deceased person is buried or method of
detrimental to local projects and contractors.
interment be added to these records.
133. DEMAND BILLINGS ON ELECTRICITY
RATES
Electric companies use demand billing rather than
power used basis on some meters, adversely affecting
many customers who use certain meter facilities for
very short periods during the year, causing billed
amounts to exceed the power actually used.
West Virginia Farm Bureau requests that the Public
Service Commission require the KW demand be
reviewed every two years by the provider and adjusted
based on most recent history of usage.
134. UTILITY RATE HEARINGS
Utility rate increase and policy change hearings are
currently held only in Charleston. West Virginia Farm
Bureau recommends that these hearings be held in the
communities affected by the proposed increase.
135. MANDATORY ENLISTMENTS OF PUBLIC
WATER AND SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
West Virginia Farm Bureau believes landowners
who have adequate water and/or sewage systems
139. SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEER FIRE
DEPARTMENTS & EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SQUADS
Volunteer fire departments and emergency medical
squads are the first line of defense in cases of fire, flood,
and other emergencies. Well-trained and well-equipped
personnel save lives and property. West Virginia Farm
Bureau recommends that the WV Legislature and
county commissions continue to support volunteer fire
departments and emergency medical squads, and to
establish them where needed. WVFB supports a rate
reduction in the rate per man hour that county volunteer
fire departments, and county volunteer emergency
medical squads must pay as workers compensation
coverage on its volunteers, including, but not limited
to, a reclassification that adjusts the rate based upon the
service or activity said volunteer is performing.
West Virginia Farm Bureau supports a West
Virginia state income tax credit in the amount of
$500 per year for any active volunteer serving
in a county fire department or county volunteer
emergency rescue squad.
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 33