About the State Register

The State Register is the title of a weekly publication which gives the public current information about the status of rules moving through the rule-making process, notices of meetings, newly filed orders, decisions and opinions and more. This publication is available by subscription (see Ordering) and is free on-line (see WV State Register Online).

Background

The use of the term "State Register" as the publication title does not have the same meaning as the term in state law. In 1982, the West Virginia Legislature established the "State Register" as the repository of all required filings listed in the West Virginia Code §29A-2-7, and went on to require the publication of the State Register every two years, with monthly updates available. In the law, the term actually covers the full text of everything filed -- rules, notices, orders, decisions, etc.-- plus a rule monitor, cross index and chronological index.

In order to meet these requirements but also provide better service to the public, in 1985 the Secretary of State reorganized the publication process and began publication of the weekly status update now called the State Register, as well as the separate Code of State Rules with its monthly updates, containing the full text of all rules filed.

Historical copies of the State Register are maintained by the Administrative Law Division.

Organization, Publication and Contents of the Weekly State Register

Each year, a new volume begins with Issue 1, Page 1. As additional issues are published on the last business day of each week, the page numbering takes up where it left off the previous week. In the year 2000, the fifty-two issues of Volume XVII contained 2,518 pages.

Over the years, the State Register has been expanded to make more information conveniently available. It now includes eleven sections.

The Index lists each agency or board for which there are any notices other information in the pages of that issue, with the page number reference. Through the Index, it is simple to track new information for the agencies in which you are interested without having to review every page.
The Open Governmental Meetings Listing gives the date, time and location of each meeting of a board or commission required to file notices for publications. When a meeting notice is filed late, it is marked with a footnote indicating it does (This list does not include meetings of county and municipal governmental bodies.) For more information about meeting notices, see About Meetings.
Price List gives the purchase price for copies of all new proposed or emergency rules listed in Section 5 of that issue.
The Rule Monitor contains detailed information on the status of each proposed and emergency rule between the first filing of the proposed rule and the date it goes into effect. Since legislative rules are filed no later than June of one year for approval by the Legislature in March of the next, the Rule Monitor will list the rule each week for ten or more months, showing its detailed status information as it goes through the rule making process.

AGENCY / SERIES NO. -- The agency name (shortened), with the Title & Series number of the rule
RULE -- The rule name, price for a paper copy, and rule type
NOTICE -- Date of first filing with Secretary of Sate with notice of public comment
HEARING -- Date the hearing will be held (if any), or the deadline for public comment
EMER RULE -- Date an emergency rule is filed (must also be filed as legislative rule)
SEC/STATE -- Date the proposed rule is filed as agency approved with the Secretary of State
LRMRC-ACTION -- Date the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee approves the rule & date and date modified rule is filed
LEGIS -- Bill number, and/or date of final adoption by the Legislature
FINAL FILE -- Date the agency final fileds the rule (within 60 days following signature of bill by Governor)
EFFECTIVE -- Date the agency designates as effective date (within 90 days following final filing)
NOTICES -- gives information on new rule filings and actions by the Legislative Rule Making Review Committee (LRMRC) only for the week preceding publications. It is divided into five subsections, for legislative, interpretive, procedural and emergency rules types plus the LRMRC actions. This section provides quick access to changes from the previous week. Legislative Interims provides the schedule and agenda for the next session of legislative interims, as announced by the Legislature.
Orders lists newly issued Governor's executive orders and other agency orders.
Ethics Commission Opinions lists the date and subject matter of newly issued formal opinions of the West Virginia Ethics Commission.
Attorney General Opinions lists the date and subject matter of newly issued formal A. G. opinions. Informal client-advice letters are not included.
Other Documents or Information Filed is the section which includes notice of anything filed which does not fit within the other categories. The APA provides for these miscellaneous filings, and other sections of the Code sometimes require an agency to file a specific report or other document with the Secretary of State.
Publication Deadlines and Publication Dates provides a handy reference for the deadlines for filing information in the State Register and the publication date for each week of the entire year.

Publication Deadlines

The Register publication date is the last business day of the week, ordinarily Friday, unless it has to be moved forward due to a holiday. Filing closes at the 5:00 p.m. two days before that (usually Wednesday). For the filing and publication dates for the current calendar year, see State Register Deadlines & Publication Dates.

Meeting notices for regular and special meetings are required to be at least five days before the meeting is scheduled to be held. For emergency meetings, the five-day publications requirement is waived, but the notice must be filed before the meeting is held. See About Meetings for more detailed information.