The bill amends the qualifications and eligibility criteria for serving as an appointed member of the West Virginia Board of Education. It specifies that no more than five members can belong to the same political party and outlines the conditions under which individuals are ineligible for appointment, including holding a position on a political party executive committee or being an employee of the board. Additionally, the bill prohibits appointed members from engaging in certain political activities, such as running for public office or serving on a political party executive committee, while allowing them to participate in other political activities like making campaign contributions and attending political events.

Furthermore, the bill establishes stricter removal conditions for board members, stating that they can only be removed by the Governor for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty, or gross immorality, following the legal procedures for removing state elective officers. It also includes a provision that disqualifies individuals convicted of specific offenses involving minors from holding office on the board. Overall, the legislation aims to ensure that the State Board of Education remains nonpartisan and composed of qualified individuals dedicated to the educational welfare of West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-2-1
Committee Substitute: 18-2-1
Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute: 18-2-1
Enrolled Version: 18-2-1