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SR 42

Memorializing life of Honorable Walter Dolph Helmick

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Azinger and 26 co-sponsors

SR 42 memorializes Walter Dolph Helmick for his long public service in coal mining communities, education, local government, and as WV Commissioner of Agriculture.

Completed legislative action
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Bill Summary · SR 42

Overview

Senate Resolution 42 (SR 42) of the 2026 West Virginia Senate memorializes the life and public service of the Honorable Walter Dolph Helmick. The resolution recognizes Helmick’s multifaceted career as a coal miner, welder, teacher, businessman, Mason, and public servant (including roles as West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture, state legislator in both the House of Delegates and the Senate), and offers condolences to his family.

Purpose and Intent

  • Acknowledge and celebrate the life, career, and contributions of Walter Dolph Helmick.
  • Honor Helmick’s public service record and leadership in various roles at the local and state levels.
  • Extend sympathies to Helmick’s family and request the Clerk to transmit a copy of the resolution to his family.

Key Provisions and Provisions Changes

  • The resolution inserts a formal statement memorializing Helmick’s life and public service.
  • It lists Helmick’s biographical highlights, including:
    • Birth: April 25, 1944, in Bergoo, West Virginia.
    • Education: Attended Webster Springs High School (graduated 1963) and studied at multiple institutions (Marshall University, West Virginia Institute of Technology, University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute, Hobart Technical Center, Lincoln Welding School, Mendenhall School of Auctioneering).
    • Career: Coal miner, welding instructor at Pocahontas County High School, proprietor of Allegheny Lodge Enterprises (bottled spring water such as “Minnehaha Mist”).
    • Fraternal and civic involvement: 50-year Mason; affiliated with Addison Lodge (Webster County) and Huntersville Lodge (Pocahontas County); member of the Valley of the Charleston Scottish Rite (33rd Degree, 2011) and a Shriner.
    • Public service: Elected to the Pocahontas County Board of Education and Pocahontas County Commission; served on various local boards and organizations.
    • State government service: Elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1988; appointed to the West Virginia Senate on September 13, 1989 (to fill a vacancy); elected to six terms in the Senate (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010); held leadership roles as chairman of several committees (Finance; Natural Resources; Banking and Insurance; Military).
    • Higher-level service: Elected statewide in 2012 and served as West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture (resigning from the Senate on January 14, 2013 to take that role).
    • Death: Passed away on September 6, 2025.
  • The resolution states the Senate memorializes Helmick’s life and extends sympathies to his family.

Who and What Would Be Affected

  • The primary impact is ceremonial and symbolic: it memorializes a former public official and welcomes acknowledgment of his contributions.
  • The family of Walter Dolph Helmick is the direct beneficiary of the expressed condolences and the memorial recognition.
  • The action has no immediate fiscal or regulatory effects on state law or policy; it is a formal tribute within the legislative record.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduced: February 13, 2026.
  • Action history indicates it moved promptly through the process:
    • Filed for introduction (Feb 13, 2026)
    • Immediate consideration and committee reference dispensed (Feb 16, 2026)
    • Adopted on February 16, 2026 (Roll Call No. 85)
  • The resolution is a traditional memorial, not a law with enforceable provisions, and does not alter statutes or create new programs.

Key Takeaways

  • SR 42 commemorates Walter Dolph Helmick’s life and long record of public service in coal mining communities, education, local government, and state government.
  • It recognizes his leadership roles and affiliations, including his time as West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and his multiple terms in the West Virginia Senate.
  • The resolution serves as a formal tribute and directs the Clerk to transmit the memorial to Helmick’s family.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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