(a) The Joint Committee on Government and Finance is authorized to provide information from portions of the Legislature's computer data to persons through the Internet, or through other means approved by the committee, for noncommercial use, with or without charge. The committee may charge and collect fees for providing or licensing portions of the data maintained in the Legislature's computer databases to persons requesting the data.

(b) The Joint Committee on Government and Finance shall, prior to January 12, 2000, consider how best to provide, through the Internet or other means, free public-access to appropriate information maintained in the Legislature's computer databases. The committee shall consider providing free public access through the Internet, or other appropriate means, to bill status information, the text of pending bills, the daily journals of the House of Delegates and the Senate, the West Virginia code, and any other information determined appropriate by the committee, all as maintained by the Legislature in its computer databases. In determining what information to which to provide free access, the committee shall consider how the access may affect the integrity, security and functionality of the Legislature's computer system and its primary use of supporting its legislative functions.

(c) No part of the information contained in the Legislature's computer system databases in its magnetic or electronic form is a public record as that term is defined in section two, article one, chapter twenty-nine-b of this code. Notwithstanding any provisions of section three, article one, chapter twenty-nine-b of this code to the contrary, the Legislature may not be required or compelled to allow access to all or a portion of its databases for inspection and copying and may not be required to make available copies of all or a portion of its databases on magnetic or electronic media.