Section 12-1-2 - Depositories for demand deposits; categories of demand deposits; competitive bidding for disbursement accounts; maintenance of deposits by State Treasurer; definition of spending unit(a) The State Treasurer shall designate the state and national banks and the state and federal savings and loan associations in this state meeting the requirements of this chapter as depositories for all state funds placed in demand deposits.(b)(1) Demand deposit accounts shall consist of receipt and disbursement accounts. Receipt accounts are accounts in which are deposited moneys belonging to or due the State of West Virginia or any official, department, board, commission or agency of the state.(2) Disbursement accounts are accounts from which are paid moneys due from the State of West Virginia or any official, department, board, commission, political subdivision or agency of the state to any political subdivision, person, firm or corporation, except moneys paid from investment accounts.(3) Investment accounts are accounts established by the West Virginia Investment Management Board, the West Virginia Board of Treasury Investments or the State Treasurer for the buying and selling of securities for investment purposes.(c) The State Treasurer shall propose rules for legislative approval, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, concerning depositories for receipt accounts prescribing the selection criteria, procedures, compensation and any other contractual terms it considers to be in the best interests of the state giving due consideration to: (1) The activity of the various accounts maintained in the depositories; (2) the reasonable value of the banking services rendered or to be rendered the state by the depositories; and (3) the value and importance of the deposits to the economy of the communities and the various areas of the state affected by the deposits.(d) The State Treasurer shall select depositories for disbursement accounts through competitive bidding by eligible banks in this state. If none of the eligible banks in this state are able to provide the needed services, then the State Treasurer may include eligible banks outside this state in the competitive bidding process. The State Treasurer shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, prescribing the procedures and criteria for the bidding and selection. The State Treasurer shall, in the invitations for bids, specify the approximate amounts of deposits, the duration of contracts to be awarded and any other contractual terms the State Treasurer considers to be in the best interests of the state, consistent with obtaining the most efficient service at the lowest cost. The amount of money needed for current operation purposes of the state government, as determined by the State Treasurer, shall be maintained at all times in the State Treasury, in cash, in short term investments not to exceed five days or in disbursement accounts with financial institutions designated as depositories in accordance with the provisions of this section. No state officer or employee shall make or cause to be made any deposits of state funds in financial institutions which have not been designated as depositories.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this code, only banks and state and federal savings and loan associations designated by the State Treasurer as depositories may accept deposits of state funds. Only the Legislature and the State Treasurer may determine whether funds are state funds and only the State Treasurer may approve the opening of an account or processing of a transaction with a financial institution.(f) Boards, commissions and spending units with authority pursuant to this code to deposit moneys in a financial institution without approval of the State Treasurer shall retain that authority and are not required to have the State Treasurer designate a financial institution as a depository: Provided, That boards, commissions and spending units with moneys deposited in financial institutions not approved for that purpose by the State Treasurer shall submit a report on those moneys annually to the Legislative Auditor and the State Treasurer.(g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the proceeds from the sale of general obligation bonds or bonds issued by the School Building Authority, the Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority, the Housing Development Fund, the Economic Development Authority, the Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, the Water Development Authority or the Hospital Finance Authority.(h) As used in this chapter, "spending unit" means a department, agency, board, commission or institution of state government for which an appropriation is requested, or to which an appropriation is made by the Legislature.