West Virginia Code § 8-12-5b

Municipal authority to enact ordinance; ordinance provisions defining
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terms; restricting certain activities in relation to obscene matters and establishing
penalties for violations.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section one, article eleven, chapter eight of this code,
in addition to all other powers which municipalities now possess by law, every municipality
and the governing body thereof may adopt the ordinance provided in subsecetion (b) of this
section.
A municipality when adopting this ordinance, may delete therefrom such portions of
paragraph (A), subdivision (4), subsection (b) of this section thatu it deems appropriate.
(b) The ordinance which municipalities may adopt pursuant to the power granted them
under subsection (a) of this section shall be:
Section 1. Definitions.
For purposes of this ordinance:
(1) "Knowingly" means to have knowledge of or to be aware of the content or character of
obscene matter.
(2) "Matter" means any book, magazine, newspaper or other printed or written material, or
any picture, drawing or photograph, motion picture, or other visual representation, or live
conduct, or any recording, transcription or mechanical, chemical or electrical reproduction,
or any other articles, equipment, machines or materials.
(3) "Individual" mean s any human being regardless of age.
(4) "Obscene" means matter which the average individual applying contemporary community
standards would find (i) taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; (ii) depicts or
describes in a patently offensive way ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or
simulated; and (iii) the matter, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or
scientific value, and which either:
(A) Depicts or describes patently offensive representation of masturbation, excretory
functions, lewd exhibition of the genitals, sodomy, fellatio, cunnilingus, bestiality, sadism,
masochism; or
(B) Depicts or describes nudity or sexual acts of persons, male or female, below the age of
eighteen years.
(5) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation or other legal
entity.
(6) "Prepare" means to produce, publish or print.
(7) "Public display" means the placing of material on or in a billboard, viewing screen,
theatre, marquee, newsstand, display rack, window, showcase, display case or similar public
place so that material can be purchased or viewed by individuals.
Section 1a. Injunctive relief.
The circuit court shall have jurisdiction to issue an injunction to enforce the purposes of this
ordinance upon petition by the attorney for the municipality or a representative thereof or
any citizen of the municipality who can show a good faith and valid reason for making such
application. No bond shall be required unless for good cause shown.
Section 2. Activities prohibited; penalties.
Any person who knowingly sends or causes to be sent or causes to be brought into the
municipality of (name of municipality) for sale or publiac display, or prepares, sells or makes
a public display, or in the municipality of (name of municipality) offers to prepare, sell or
make a public display, or has in his possession withl the intent to sell or make a public
display of any obscene matter to any individuasl, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than thirty
days or both fined and imprisoned. A persoin convicted of a second or subsequent offense
under this ordinance is guilty of a mgisdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined
not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than six months or both fined and imprisoned.
Section 3. Employees acting within scope of employment shall not be prosecuted.
No employee shall be guilty of a violation of this ordinance when such employee is a
projectionist, ticket taker, usher, or when such employee prepares, sells or makes a public
display of obscene m atter while acting within the scope of his regular employment, unless
such employeVe has a proprietary interest in such obscene matter or is a shareholder or
officer of a corporation which has a proprietary interest in such obscene matter.
Section 4. Exceptions.
Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed so as to apply to any person exercising a right
secured by the Constitution or laws of this state or of these United States.

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