§ 5A-11-1 — Public Land Corporation

(a) The Public Land Corporation, heretofore created and established as a unit of the Division of Natural Resources, is hereby continued and established as a unit of the Real Estate Division of the Department of Administration.

(b) The corporation is a public benefit corporation and an instrumentality of the state and may sue or be sued, contract and be contracted with, plead and be impleaded, have and use a common seal.

(c) The corporation is vested with the title of the State of West Virginia in public lands, the title to which now is or may hereafter become vested in the State of West Virginia by reason of any law governing the title of lands of the state: Provided, That those lands for which title is specifically vested by law in other state agencies, institutions and departments shall continue to be vested in such state agencies, institutions and departments.

(d) The provisions of this article do not apply to:

(1) The State of West Virginia's interest in the rivers, streams, creeks or beds thereof and all other public lands managed or acquired by the Division of Natural Resources pursuant to the provisions of section seven, article one, chapter twenty of this code and section two, article five, chapter twenty of this code, the title to all of which shall collectively be transferred to and vested in the Division of Natural Resources for the use and enjoyment of the citizens of the state; or

(2) Public lands acquired by the Division of Forestry pursuant to article one-a, chapter nineteen of this code.

Legislative History

2007 Reg. Sess., SB582