program. We support and encourage cost-effective
public works programs, such as CCC, for minimumsecurity prisoners, unemployed or delinquent youth.
Old cemeteries are part of our heritage, and are
gradually deteriorating and disappearing. Farm
Bureau suggests that the state use offenders who have
been sentenced to community service to clean up
old cemeteries. Cleaning up road banks and public
stream banks adds beauty to the community and gives
individuals work experience and self-respect.
Farm Bureau favors the passage of “Jessica’s
Law,” which calls for a mandatory sentence of life
imprisonment for the molestation of a child.
Criminal Disclosure and Public Office
State criminal laws should be changed to allow
public access to adult and juvenile criminal histories,
including prison disciplinary records and transfers.
Victims, family members and police must be
notified of escapes, impending paroles, furloughs, or
other releases.
Sex-crime victims should be able to require that
their assailants undergo blood tests to reveal any
transmissible disease, and the victim should then be
informed of the results.
WVFB supports legislation to require all sexual
offenders to wear an electronic tracking device.
Legislation should be enacted that prohibits the
appointment of a person convicted of a felony to any
position of authority in state government. Legislation
should also be enacted requiring the forfeiture of
wages, salary, retirement pay and benefits of any
elected or appointed public official who is convicted
of a felony committed while serving in office.
Juvenile Justice
We recommend that the juvenile justice code
be expanded to hold parents accountable for the
damages committed by their children.
Because of the seriousness of juvenile crime, we
recommend that a juvenile who commits a crime be
held accountable for that crime. Juveniles who are
thirteen years of age or older, who commit felonies,
should be prosecuted as an adult.
We also recommend that the names of juveniles
and the crimes committed not be withheld from
the media.
Photography of a Corpse
WVFB supports any legislation that prohibits
photography of a dead body as in reference to
proposed bill HB 2734.
130. UNINSURED DRIVERS
To help alleviate the problem of uninsured
drivers, a driver who wishes to cancel his insurance
must first surrender his or her vehicle license tag
and registration card to the state police or DMV.
The state police will then issue a certificate of
surrendered registration that the driver will be
required to present to the insurance carrier before
the insurance is cancelled.
West Virginia Farm Bureau recommends that the
minimum amount of liability insurance required be
increased from 20/40/10 to 50/100/50.
Certificates of insurance should only be issued for
the period of time paid for by the insured.
131. IMMIGRATION
West Virginia Farm Bureau requests that the WV
Legislature adopt a resolution demanding that the
Congress and the President honor their Constitutional
duty to protect the border of the United States from
the flood of illegal immigration, and we also support
any other state in their efforts to enforce existing
immigration law.
With the increasing burden on taxpaying
American citizens for social services, law
enforcement and especially the likelihood of highly
contagious and potentially pandemic diseases
entering the country via the influx of illegal
immigrants, this issue must be addressed.
132. WV DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH &
HUMAN RESOURCES PROCEDURE FOR
ASSUMING CUSTODY OF CHILDREN
DURING SCHOOL HOURS
West Virginia Farm Bureau strongly urges the
WV Department of Health and Human Resources to
work in cooperation with the school administration
and law enforcement officials with regard to child
custody issues in such a way that it does not further
traumatize the child or cause classroom disruption.
133. SOCIAL SECURITY
West Virginia Farm Bureau recommends that all
income taxes on Social Security cease.
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 33