West Virginia
The West Virginia State Fire Commission is responsible for adopting, promulgating, and amending statewide construction codes. The Administrative Procedures Act requires public hearings on the adoption of all codes by the State Fire Commission. When the State Fire Commission proposes to adopt a code, the code is filed with the Secretary of State. The commission conducts a public hearing and can modify the rule with the Secretary of State as an agency-approved rule. The rule is then filed with the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. Once the rule is approved or modified by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, it is introduced as a separate bill during the legislative session. Legislation need not be initiated by the State Fire Commission; the legislature can modify the code by proposing legislation at any time during the regular session.
If counties choose to enforce a code, they must follow what the state prescribes, though they are not forced to administer the state code or any code at all. Some counties are home rule in the state. Even if they choose to administer a code, home rule counties need not use the state code.
The state codes and amendments are documented at: