Terms Used In West Virginia Code > Chapter 6B > Article 2B - Limitations On a Public Official From Using His or Her Name or Likeness

• Advertising: means publishing, distributing, disseminating, communicating, or displaying information to the public through audio, visual, or other media tools with the purpose of promoting the public official or a political party. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Business: means any entity through which business for-profit is conducted including a corporation, partnership, proprietorship, franchise, association, organization, or self-employed individual. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• commission: means the West Virginia Ethics Commission. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Educational materials: means publications, guides, calendars, handouts, pamphlets, reports, or booklets intended to provide information about the public official or governmental office. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Employee: means any person in the service of another under any contract of hire, whether express or implied, oral, or written, where the employer or an agent of the employer or a public official has the right or power to control and direct such person in the material details of how work is to be performed and who is not responsible for the making of policy nor for recommending official action. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
• Instructional material: means written instructions explaining or detailing steps for completion of a governmental agency document or form. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Judgment: includes decrees and orders for the payment of money, or the conveyance or delivery of land or personal property, or some interest therein, or any undertaking, bond or recognizance which has the legal effect of a judgment. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Likeness: means a photograph, drawing, or other depiction of an individual. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Mass media communication: means communication through audio, visual, or other media tools, including U. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Person: means an individual, corporation, business entity, labor union, association, firm, partnership, limited partnership, committee, club, or other organization or group of persons, irrespective of the denomination given such organization or group. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
• Press release: means a written, audio, or video communication issued by an official or agency to the public or to members and organizations of the news media to report specific but brief information about an event, circumstance, or other happening. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Public employee: means any full-time or part-time employee of any state, or political subdivision of the state, and their respective boards, agencies, departments, and commissions, or in any other regional or local governmental agency. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Public official: means any person who is elected or appointed to any state, county, or municipal office or position, including boards, agencies, departments, and commissions, or in any other regional or local governmental agency. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Public payroll: means payment of public moneys as a wage or salary from the state, or political subdivision of the state, or any other regional or local governmental agency, whether accepted or not. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• Social media: means forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1
• State: means a state of the United States, or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See West Virginia Code 48-14-601
• State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Trinkets: means items of tangible personal property that are not vital or necessary to the duties of the public official&rsquo. See West Virginia Code 6B-2B-1