The House Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

Senate Bill 553 would authorize certain transfers of a contractor’s license to a license holder’s immediate family member. The bill would allow contractor licenses to be transferred to an immediate family member (a spouse, child, sibling, or parent) if the person receiving the license is involved in the management or operation of the business. The individual must employ individuals who meet the minimum qualifications for applicants for examination and licenses. The bill was amended and reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 1059 would allow agreements between solid waste motor carriers and their commercial customers with terms of more than one year.

Committee Hearing

Senate Bill 490 would be directed by the West Virginia Workforce Development Board to assist the Governor in determining the eligibility of short-term workforce training programs for Workforce Pell Grants.

Senate Bill 493 allows movie theaters with 8 or more screens to provide open captioning for at least 2 shows per week of each motion picture produced with open captioning.

Senate Bill 671 would increase the number of licensed commissioners on the WV Real Estate Commission.

Senate Bill 672 concerns teams in real estate. As a team leader, there would be continuing education requirements.

Senate Bill 852 would increase the fee for processing certified mail for any defendant in the US.

Senate Bill 701 would increase the sheriffs’ tax collection commission and establish a tiered system for sheriffs’ commissions for property tax collection.

Senate Bill 886 would allow for prescribed fire control on private property.

Senate Bill 897 would require the licensure or certification of alcohol and drug counselors.

Senate Bill 916 would provide for the use of “A.C.” as a name ending for an accounting corporation.

Senate Bill 927 would clarify the Commissioner of Agriculture’s authority to regulate bees, bee equipment, and apiaries in the state. It would clarify when legal proceedings may be maintained against certain owners or operators of agricultural land or agricultural operations.

The House Judiciary Committee met this afternoon.

Senate Bill 54 would create criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults. Under this bill, any caregiver who abuses or neglects an incapacitated adult, which creates a risk of serious bodily injury or death to the incapacitated adult, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined at least $1,000 but no more than $3,000, or imprisoned for one to five years, or both fined and imprisoned. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 506 would allow counties to lease their wireless towers to any entity as long as they are doing so safely. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 900 would make any jail, state correctional facility, juvenile detention center, or federal correctional facility in West Virginia a “targeted facility.” This would prohibit the flying of drones above the facilities. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 1008 would change the procedures for how asbestos and silica litigation is handled. These enhancements provide more ability to the judicial system to manage the litigation. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 928 would add new code that would allow for separate licensing and manufacturing of “low-proof spirit alcohol products.” Low-proof spirit alcohol products mean any alcoholic liquor beverage drink, other than wine, beer, or nonintoxicating beer, containing 1.5% ABV or more, but not more than 15.5 % ABV, mixed with drinkable water, fruit juices, flavoring, or coloring materials, other alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or other ingredients in a solution, which are packaged in containers up to 25 fluid ounces. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion. 

Senate Bill 937 would establish a community-based child welfare system, also known as Kyneddi’s Law. This bill would establish a pilot program in Berkeley, Jefferson, Summers, Raleigh, Fayette, and Monroe counties, which would privatize the system, resulting in case management, services, and court-related functions being managed by a contracted provider. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 59 would change voter eligibility and residency requirements for West Virginia. Some of these changes include defining “legal resident” as a person who resides in the state, county, or municipality in which he or she offers to vote, and has an intent to remain in the state, county, or municipality indefinitely. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 182 would allow counties the ability to make more than one minor boundary adjustment every two years. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 200 would increase criminal penalties and fines for assault on government officials, law enforcement officers, and police animals. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 440 would prohibit the delivery of items to help someone escape from federal correctional facilities, in addition to the existing entities spelled out in code. This bill also adds telecommunication devices, such as a phone, as an item that could aid escape. This bill also increases the crime penalty for transporting a phone or other telecommunication device into a jail. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 481 would change the code pertaining to voting precincts to allow for machines to be used for multiple precincts that are located close together. The purpose of this bill is to decrease lines at polling locations. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 531 would establish the First Amendment Preservation Act. This act would prohibit state agencies or any kind of organization receiving state funding from entering into a contract or agreement with a media reliability bias monitor. A media reliability bias monitor is any private entity why is rating news organizations on some kind of criteria, whether it be political leanings, misinformation, or disinformation, etc. An example provided in committee was an organization such as NewsGuard. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 723 would clarify that law enforcement in the state can cooperate with law enforcement in bordering states. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 800 would clarify and change several sections of state policy regarding jury service. Some of these changes include administrative directors being appointed to handled remove names of people who have previously served on jury duty, create a list to be provided to their county clerk of which jurors are to be chosen from, and remove the “jury box.” This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

The House Judiciary Committee met Sunday afternoon.

Markup & Passage

Senate Bill 459 adds step-siblings to the list of meaningful bonds to be considered in the best interest of a child.

Senate Bill 558 creates a new law for aggravatingly passing or failing to stop for a stopped school bus. The bill was amended to include language from House Bill 5587, which authorizes the installation of video cameras on school buses to capture violations of the law.

Senate Bill 643 discontinues the WV Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program. Remaining funds shall be transferred to General Revenue.

Senate Bill 670 would create and protect series limited liability companies. The bill sets definitions, duties, responsibilities, and duration of a protected series of limited liability companies. The bill was amended to add language from House Bill 4546, relating to reporting requirements, and House Bill 5227, relating to delinquent check fees and veteran-owned business logo.

Senate Bill 794 clarifies that the Intermediate Court of Appeals lacks appellate jurisdiction over appeals from adoption orders or decrees. Only the Supreme Court will handle these appeals.

Senate Bill 944 expands the list of eligible federal law enforcement officers authorized to enforce the law in the state to include military law enforcement.

Senate Bill 947 allows the State Registrar to provide copies of birth and death records to homeless individuals under 18.

Senate Bill 1026 increases the penalties for disturbing religious worship. The bill increases the penalties from six months to a year and fines ranging from $250 to $1,000.

Committee Hearing

Senate Bill 54 establishes criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults by a caregiver.

Senate Bill 506 allows county commissions to lease, rent, or permit the use of county-owned wireless towers. The bill does set criteria and prohibited uses.

Senate Bill 651 allows the State Auditor to engage a private auctioneer to sell certain tax-delinquent properties. It requires the highest bidder to pay the buyer’s fee to the private auctioneer.

Senate Bill 900 adds correctional and detention facilities to the list of facilities where unmanned aircraft cannot be flown.

Senate Bill 1008 would amend the procedures for handling asbestos and silica litigation and enhance the judicial system’s ability to manage it.

The House Committee on Government Organisation advanced several bills to the floor.

Senate Bill 167 would allow municipalities to fill out an application to the State Auditor for “good cause,” which would allow municipalities to conduct late meetings and file late reports. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 233 would make the Commissioner of Labour unable to require that someone who is seeking a Class 1 license to administer polygraphs have a bachelor’s degree. In addition, this bill would make it so the Commissioner of Labour could not require someone seeking a Class 2 license to administer polygraphs to have an associate’s degree. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 586 would change the requirements for public water systems. This bill would make it so the Secretary of the Department of Health can not make rules that require public water systems or businesses to have low-hazard backflow preventers inspected more than once every three years. A backflow preventer is a device used to prevent contaminated water from flowing backwards into the public water supply. This bill was not advanced to the floor after being voted down, originally, but was then reconsidered and advanced to the floor. 

A motion to reconsider the bill was proposed by Delegate Adam Burkhammer (R – Lewis, 64). Burkhammer said he made the motion to support small businesses by reducing the costs for evaluating backflow preventers.

Senate Bill 603 would require that one citizen member of the state’s property valuation training and procedures commission have knowledge in agriculture. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 703 would establish the Social Work Licensure Compact. This bill would allow for reciprocity between states for social workers to improve public access to social work services. The Compact will be regulated by the State to protect public health and safety through the current licensing system. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 755 would remove state agencies’ requirement to submit annual reports for small, women and minority-owned businesses to the Department of Administration. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 756 would allow the purchasing director to give authority to state spending units to use best value procurement to spend money without needing the director’s approval. This bill was rejected.

Senate Bill 878 would create the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Office of the Secretary of State. This bill was reported to the committee on Finance.

Senate Bill 970 would exempt volunteer fire departments from raffle regulations. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 1011 would allow volunteer fire departments to submit their audits electronically. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Education met this afternoon; one bill was tabled, while another advanced.

Markup & Passage

Senate Bill 745 would update the school nutrition program. The bill was tabled.

Senate Bill 890 would change the school calendar from days to hours. The bill advances

Committee Hearing

Senate Bill 63 creates the Sustaining Opportunities for Academics in Rural Schools Act (SOAR). It would allow a good-standing charter school wishing to open an additional location to submit an abbreviated application.

Senate Bill 778 would allow students to receive timely educational support by allowing nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians to certify eligibility for homebound services.

Senate Bill 804 would provide that students participating in good standing in an extracurricular sport are not required to comply with the statutory middle school and high school physical education requirements.

Senate Bill 899 would permit teachers with a minimum of 15 years of experience teaching at the elementary, middle, or high school level to be certified to work as school principals at the school level in which they have the 15 years of experience teaching if they also successfully complete a year-long program developed and administered by the West Virginia Department of Education to ensure the candidate demonstrates competence in the core elements of school administration.