West Virginia Code Chapter 49. West Virginia Child Welfare Act § 49-7-202. Interstate adoption assistance compacts authorized; definitions

(a) The Department of Health and Human Resources is authorized to develop, participate in the development of, negotiate and enter into one or more interstate compacts on behalf of this state with other states to implement one or more of the purposes set forth in sections two hundred one through two hundred four of this article. When so entered into, and for so long as it shall remain in force, the compact shall have the force and effect of law.

(b) For the purposes of sections two hundred one through two hundred four of this article, the term “state” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or a Territory or Possession of or administered by the United States.

(c) For the purposes of sections two hundred one through two hundred four of this article, the term “adoption assistance state” means the state that is signatory to an adoption assistance agreement in a particular case.

(d) For the purposes of sections two hundred one through two hundred four of this article, the term “residence state” means the state of which the child is a resident by virtue of the residence of the adoptive parents.