The Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee has laid over a bill that would transfer the Division of Forestry and its authorities, powers and duties from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Agriculture.
The bill, SB 183, would become effective July 1.
Randy Dye, director of the West Virginia Division of Forestry, said the division is opposed to the bill because of the “uncertain future” he feels the bill implies for employees of the division.
Crescent Gallagher of the Department of Agriculture said things would be run more efficiently with the transfer.
The bill will be referred to the Senate Government Organization once reported to the floor.
The committee will recess until at the adjournment of the Senate Economic Development Committee meeting, which will meet at 4:30 p.m. in 208W.
