Bill Roop takes oath of office as member of House of Delegates

CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The West Virginia House of Delegates was brought back to one hundred members on Friday following the swearing in of Carl “Bill” Roop as the latest member of the House.

An attorney who operated a private practice in the Raleigh County area, Roop was appointed by Governor Jim Justice to serve the 44th Delegate District which comprises a portion of Raleigh County. Roop will finish out the term of former House of Delegates member and recently appointed Raleigh County Circuit Judge, Todd Kirby .

LOOTPRESS spoke with Roop following the ceremony to discuss his appointment and plans going forward as a member of the House of Delegates.

“I think I bring a lot to the team, and I think I’m a very much a team player. That’s what it takes in Charleston,” Roop tells LOOTPRESS. “It’s not one person, it’s a team, and I think my experience brings a lot to the table for the team.”

Some of the issues the attorney points to as key priorities coming into the role include education, CPS, the opioid epidemic, and bringing business to the state, stating that his experience has provided useful perspective in a number of areas.

“I think I have a pretty good handle on some things that need to be tweaked and taken care of that would help and would further the best interest of the children, so that’s one area,” he says. “I think, being the [Raleigh] County Attorney, I’ve been able to look at trying to bring business to our area, and I think that’s a big one. The more jobs we have, the more people we have working.”

Supreme Court of Appeals Justice John Hutchison administered the oath of office for Roop’s swearing in to the role, marking only the second time he had administered the oath following the swearing in of late House Speaker Bob Kiss, also a Raleigh County native.

In attendance for the ceremony were family members of Roop’s, including his two children and wife Jan, as well as additional members who observed from the House Chamber. Also in attendance were House Clerk Steve Harrison and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw.

It has been indicated that information pertaining to Bill Roop’s committee assignments will be released on the West Virginia Legislature website in the near future.