West Virginia § 29-19-13 - 29-19-13. Prohibited acts.

§ 29-19-13. 29-19-13. Prohibited acts.

(a) No charitable organization, professional fund-raising counsel or professional solicitor subject to the provisions of this article may use or exploit the fact of registration so as to lead the public to believe that such registration in any manner constitutes an endorsement or approval by the state.

(b) No person may, in connection with the solicitation of contributions for or the sale of goods or services of a person other than a charitable organization, misrepresent to or mislead anyone by any manner, means, practice or device whatsoever, to believe that the person on whose behalf such solicitation or sale is being conducted is a charitable organization or that the proceeds of such solicitation or sale will be used for charitable purposes, if such is not the fact.

(c) No person may, in connection with the solicitation of contributions for charitable purposes, misrepresent, mislead, or omit information concerning how the proceeds will be used. Proceeds gathered from any given solicitation must be used for the charitable purposes represented in the materials sent or the presentation given by the solicitor. Violations of this section will be considered to be both a violation of the reasonable donor expectation standard of section eight and may be subject to prosecution for fraud pursuant to section fifteen of this article.

(d) No person may in connection with the solicitation of contributions or the sale of goods or services for charitable purposes represent to or lead anyone by any manner, means, practice or device whatsoever, to believe that any other person sponsors or endorses such solicitation of contributions, sale of goods or services for charitable purposes or approves of such charitable purposes of a charitable organization connected therewith when such other person has not given consent to the use of his or her name for these purposes: Provided, That any member of the board of directors or trustees of a charitable organization or any other person who has agreed either to serve or to participate in any voluntary capacity in the campaign shall be deemed thereby to have given his or her consent to the use of his or her name in said campaign.

(e) No person may make any representation that he or she is soliciting contributions for or on behalf of a charitable organization or shall use or display any emblem, device or printed matter belonging to or associated with a charitable organization for the purpose of soliciting or inducing contributions from the public without first being authorized to do so by the charitable organization.

(f) No professional solicitor may solicit in the name of or on behalf of any charitable organization unless such solicitor:

Has obtained the written authorization of two officers of such organization, a copy of which shall be filed with the Secretary of State. Such written authorization shall bear the signature of the solicitor and shall expressly state on its face the period for which it is valid, which shall not exceed one year from the date issued.