The bill establishes a statewide cold case task force within the West Virginia State Police, designated as the Leah Hickman Memorial Act. It creates an executive board composed of key law enforcement leaders, including the Superintendent of the State Police and representatives from the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association and the West Virginia Sheriffs' Association. Notably, meetings of this executive board are exempt from open meetings laws. The task force is tasked with investigating and prosecuting cold cases while ensuring it does not interfere with ongoing investigations by other law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the Task Force Director, who will be appointed by the Superintendent of the State Police and will oversee the task force's operations. The legislation also establishes the Cold Case Task Force Fund, which will be used to support the task force's activities and will be administered by the Superintendent. The fund will consist of various sources of revenue, including appropriations from the Legislature, and allows for expenditures to be made from collections for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. Furthermore, the Director of the West Virginia Fusion Center is required to collaborate with the task force to provide necessary information from the cold case database.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-10-8
Committee Substitute: 15-10-8
Engrossed Committee Substitute: 15-10-8
Enrolled Committee Substitute: 15-10-8