The bill amends several sections of the Code of West Virginia to enhance the enforcement of regulations regarding underground facilities and damage prevention. Key provisions include the establishment of the Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Board, which is empowered to investigate damages, assess penalties, and require training for violators. The board can also obtain liens on real and personal property for unpaid penalties. Additionally, the bill modifies the response time for operators to notifications from the one-call system, allowing for a mutual waiver of this response time between operators and excavators.

The bill introduces new definitions and clarifies existing terms related to underground facilities, including the responsibilities of operators and the penalties for non-compliance. It specifies that operators must respond to notifications within 48 hours and outlines a tiered penalty system for violations, which includes mandatory training for first and second offenses and escalating fines for subsequent violations. The bill also ensures that civil penalties collected by the board are retained for its exclusive use and not reverted to the General Fund, thereby providing the board with necessary resources for its enforcement activities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 24C-1-2, 24C-1-2a, 24C-1-3, 24C-1-9
Committee Substitute: 24C-1-2, 24C-1-2a, 24C-1-3, 24C-1-9
Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute: 24C-1-2, 24C-1-2a, 24C-1-3, 24C-1-9