Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
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Judiciary Committee Advances Four Bills in Morning Meeting

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The House Judiciary Committee met this morning.

Markup & Discussion

House Bill 2035 creates a three-year pilot program called the West Virginia Public Guardian ad Litem Services Pilot Program to provide legal representation for children under a framework similar to the West Virginia Public Defender Services.

House Bill 2067, the West Virginia Firearms Liability Clarification Act, limits the type of claims that can be brought against a manufacturer or seller of firearms.

House Bill 2802 allows eight hours of law enforcement’s in-service training to be served on-site for a school safety program.

Senate Bill 486 establishes requirements for voting in West Virginia elections.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2881 increases the number of state police members or former members in the Child Abuse and Neglect Investigation Unit.  

House Bill 3078 allows childcare facilities to apply for a speed zone designation.

House Bill 3162 allows cause of action to continue after the death of a person by their estate.

House Bill 3089 mandates the use of the Electronic Lien and Title System.

House Passes Two Executive Branch Reorganization Bills

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In today’s House floor session, Senate Bill 456 was completed and seven other bills passed.

Senate Bill 456 defines “male,” “female,” and “biological sex” in the WV State Code. The bill was amended in the Senate to remove a House amendment. The Senate Amendment does not allow for an examination of a minor to determine biological sex. The biological sex is determined by the sex listed on the birth certificate.

Senate Bill 138 enhances the penalties for fleeing an officer the second or subsequent time. The bill also DUI fleeing will be an enhanced penalty.

House Bill 2008 reorganizes the executive branch by moving the Department of Economic Development under the Department of Commerce as a division beginning July 1, 2025. Individuals who are in classified service positions will maintain that status unless they change jobs within the agency, then they will be in the classified exempt service system. New hires are in will be in the classified exempt service system. The bill was amended to include the Division of Natural Resources to Homeland Security.

House Bill 2009 reorganizes the executive branch by moving the Department of Arts, Culture, and History under the Department of Tourism as a division beginning July 1, 2025. Individuals who are in classified service positions will maintain that status unless they change jobs within the agency, then they will be in the classified exempt service system. New hires are in will be in the classified exempt service system.

House Bill 2190 removes the reference to a pilot program to allow Potomac State College to continue participation in the “Learn and Earn” Program for Community and Technical Colleges.

House Bill 2382 bans camping on public property and illegal camping in camping areas. The first offense will receive a written warning and information on resources available. A second offense will lead to a fine of up to $200. For a third offense in 12 months, the person can be fined up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.

House Bill 2411 requires students to complete one full credit of computer science to graduate high school.

House Bill 2634 doubles the penalty for anyone found guilty of sexual assault in the third degree and sexual abuse of a child. For sexual assault in the third degree, the penalty would be 2 to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $20,000. For sexual abuse, the penalty shall be imprisonment for 20 to 40 years and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000. For sexual abuse of a child under 16, the penalty would be imprisonment for 10 to 30 years and $2,000 to $20,000. The bill also doubles the penalty of a person of trust not reporting the abuse from 2 years imprisonment and a fine of $400-$4,000 to 4 years imprisonment and a fine of $800-$8,000.

Bills introduced today can be found here.
Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, March 12, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 11

Committee Meetings, tomorrow March 12

Judiciary and Subcommittees Met this Morning

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The Judiciary Committee met this morning.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 2702 authorizes the Governor to appoint an acting official to perform the duties of the constitutional officer until the office is filled by appointment by the Governor.

Senate Bill 8 allows for additional safe newborn surrender sites to be installed at fire departments, EMS facilities, police departments, or sheriff’s detachments.

Senate Bill 487 changes the period of voting inactivity before system purging. It also removes some obsolete language.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2369 limits the number of improvement periods a parent may have per child or actions in abuse and neglect proceedings to three.

The Department of Human Services does see some issues with the bill, as some child welfare laws come down from federal regulations. Also, there are different types of improvement periods. The sponsor of the bill mentioned the continued improvement periods, which endanger children. He asked, “How much is a child’s life worth?”

House Bill 2035 creates a 3-year pilot program for a Public Guardian ad Litem Service in three circuits.

House Bill 2802 provides a one-to-one exchange for up to 8 hours of in-service training for law enforcement who engage in on-site participation in a school safety program.

Senate Bill 486 clarifies who can vote in West Virginia.

The Subcommittee on Courts met this morning.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 3078 creates childcare speed zones of 15 miles per hour near a licensed childcare zone.

House Bill 3162 amends part of the WV Consumer Credit and Protection Act.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2056 addresses concurrent juvenile jurisdiction and allows the transfer of exclusive federal legislative jurisdictions back to the state regarding children.

House Bill 3190 expands the offense of public intoxication to persons intoxicated by controlled substances.

The Subcommittee on Legal Services met this morning.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 2689 creates liability for publishers and distributors of sexual material harmful to minors.

House Bill 3089 mandates the use of the DMV electronic lien and title system for all entities that report more than five liens per year.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2397 prevents two immediate family members from acting in a fiduciary capacity for the same governmental authority.

Senate Passes Lauren’s Law

The Senate passed Lauren’s Law on Tuesday, legislation to increase penalties for drug-related offenses.

Senate Bill 584 is named after Lauren Cole, a 26-year-old Morgantown native and WVU graduate, who died after ingesting drugs laced with fentanyl in July 2020.

The offenders found guilty of providing Lauren with those drugs are currently serving 15-year prison sentences. Under this legislation, similar offenders could be penalized by up to 40 years in prison. Anyone guilty of transporting a controlled substance into the state would also face stricter penalties if this law is enacted, up to 30 years for more than five grams of fentanyl.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Also, on Tuesday, Senate Bill 456, that would define “men” and “women” in state code, was amended by the Senate to state that “nothing could be construed as authorizing an examination of a minor for purposes of determining the minor’s biological sex. The biological sex of a minor is determined by reference to the minor’s biological sex recorded at the minor’s time of birth.”

That amendment takes out an earlier House amendment that would have allowed a healthcare worker to perform a physical exam of a minor without parental consent.

The House of Delegates later accepted the Senate’s amendment before passing the bill. The legislation now heads to the Governor’s desk to await his signature.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 12, at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings:

Health at 1 p.m. in 451M

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Morning Meetings for March 12:

Natural Resources at 9:30 a.m. in 208W

Public Education Hearing on Eight Bills

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The House Public Education Subcommittee met this evening.

House Bill 2003 removes the distraction of cell phones by prohibiting phones and earbuds from being used in classrooms.

House Bill 2499 requires principals to have training on federal law relating to the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IEDA).

House Bill 2760 establishes a partnership between Workforce West Virginia and the WV State Board of Education for the implementation of an educational, interactive platform designed to help students with instruction in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field with a focus on chemistry in high schools and technical schools.

House Bill 2897 requires the Legislative Auditor to conduct periodic performance and financial audits of the West Virginia Department of Education.

House Bill 2973 clarifies where legal actions involving the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission shall be filed. The bill requires the lawsuit to be filed in Kanawha County and provide 30-day notice. If the resident or school filing is in Kanawha County, they must file the lawsuit in Boone County.

House Bill 3099 permits law enforcement to issue a citation when a student enrolled in a public school or public charter school is using nicotine on school property or at school functions.

House Bill 3125 removes restrictions on teachers without a master’s degree receiving permanent teaching licenses. The bill states that teachers with 10 consecutive years of teaching in WV in good standing can apply to receive a permanent teaching certificate in WV without having to take any additional coursework.

House Bill 3166 sets guidelines for standardized school safety mapping data.

Energy & Public Works Advances One Bill and 31 Resolutions

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House Energy and Public Works met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 2742 creates a limited waiver from the certificate of public convenience and necessity requirement for certain water or server service projects.

Naming Resolutions

House Concurrent Resolution 5 names the bridge carrying CR 050 over Glady Creek in Lewis County, the “U.S. Army PFC William Harrison Lowther Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 6 names the bridge carrying CR 16/18 over Buffalo Creek in Logan County, the “U.S. Army Warrant Officer Private Sidney Washington Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 7 names the bridge carrying US Route 35 over Lower Nine Mile Road, WV Route 38, in Mason County, the “U. S. Army Private First-Class John Wesley Meadows Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 8 names the bridge carrying CR 009/01 over Copperas Mine Fork in Logan County, the “U.S. Army PFC Lester E. Maynard Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 9 names the bridge carrying CR 079/03 over Cabin Creek at Dry Branch in Kanawha County, the “Robert S. Pomeroy Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 10 names a portion of Knobley Road, beginning where U.S. Route 50 meets WV Route 9 and ending where WV Route 9 meets WV Route 18 in Mineral County, the “U. S. Marine Corps PFC Robert Thomas Taylor Memorial Road.”

House Concurrent Resolution 11 names the Fifth Street Bridge carrying WV 014 over Little Kanawha River in Wood County, the “Thomas A. Azinger Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 12 names the Hundred Covered Bridge carrying CR 013 over WV Fork Fish Creek in Wetzel County, the “Charles ‘Charlie’ Goff Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 13 names the Cameron Ridge Bridge, carrying CR 023 over Grave Creek in Marshall County as the “Corporal James E. Jackley Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 15 names the bridge carrying IS 077 over CR 48 in Raleigh County, the “U.S. Marines PFC Delbert Carles Roles Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 18 names the Johnsontown Bridge carrying WV 009 over Tilhance Creek in Berkeley County, the “Paul J. Hofe Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 20 names the Stewart Street Bridge carrying CR 250/12 over the West Virginia Fork of Fish Creek in Wetzel County, the “U. S. Tustin Brothers Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 21 names the Church Fork Bridge carrying US 250 over Church Fork Creek in Wetzel County, the “U. S. Army Private Terry F. Tustin Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 22 names a portion of the Greentown Loop Road in Oak Hill, Fayette County, beginning at the Intersection of US 19 and WV 16 and ending at the intersection of Meadow Fork Road, the “James Monroe Ellis Memorial Road.”

House Concurrent Resolution 23 names the Dunloup Creek Bridge #1, carrying Thurmond Road/CR 25 over Dunloup Creek in Fayette County, the “U. S. Army Private First Class Calvin Esco Spade Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 24 names the Littleton Bridge carrying US 250 over the West Virginia Fork of Fish Creek in Wetzel County, the “Postlethwait Brothers Memorial Bridge”.

House Concurrent Resolution 25 names the section of road located on U.S. Route 250 just North of the Moundsville city limits to just North of the intersection of W.V. Route 891 to the “Waynesburg Pike Road” and have an additional sign placed at the intersection of W.V. Route 88 and U.S. Route 250.

House Concurrent Resolution 26 names the Bradshaw Creek Bridge carrying County Route 12 over Bradshaw Creek in Summers County, the “U. S. Army Airforce Staff Sergeant Jimmie M. Hutchison Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 27 names the Laurel Dale Road in Mineral County, the “U. S. Army Brigadier General Edmund Francis Roleff Memorial Road.”

House Concurrent Resolution 28 names a portion of War Ridge Road, beginning at the intersection of War Ridge Road and Ballengee Road in Summers County, to the intersection of War Ridge Road and Little Stoney Creek Road in Monroe County, the “U. S. Army Private First Class Frank Maddy Memorial Road.”

House Concurrent Resolution 29 names 2.9 miles of County Route 9, also known as Knobley Road, from its intersection with County Route 16 (Headsville Road) southward to its intersection with County Route 14 (Limestone Road), the “Sheriff Jeremy Taylor Memorial Road”.

House Concurrent Resolution 31 names the Dunbar Toll Bridge, carrying 10th Street over Kanawha River in Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Quewanncoii “Que” C. Stephens, Sr. Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 32 names Colcord Bridge carrying CR 01/04 over Clear Fork in Raleigh County, the “U. S. Army PVT Leon ‘Deacon’ Stover Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 34 names Mouth of Seneca Bridge, carrying WV 28 and WV 55 over Seneca Creek in Pendleton County, the “U. S. Merchant Marine J. Ward Teter Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 35 names a portion of Main Street East in Fayette County, beginning at the intersection with Patterson Avenue and ending with the intersection with Lochgelly Road, the “U. S. Air Force Sergeant Thomas Madison Oxley Memorial Road.”

House Concurrent Resolution 36 names the Main Street Bridge in Fayette County, the “U. S. Marine Corps Private First-Class Darrell Lee Burgess Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 37 names the bridge carrying Interstate 64 over Broad Hollow Road in Wayne County, the “CPT Ray Leslie Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 39 names a portion of Route 2 in Benwood, Marshall County, as the “Gold Star Mother Catherine Blake Highway”, with two gold stars after her name.

House Concurrent Resolution 42 names the Rocky Fork Bridge carrying County Route 622 over Rocky Fork Creek in Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army Corporal Kenneth H. Tinsley Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 44 names the Ashton Woods Bridge carrying CR 055/20 over US 48X in Hardy County, the “U. S. Army SP4 Charles W. Wolfe Memorial Bridge.”

House Concurrent Resolution 45 names the New Buzzard Ford Bridge carrying CR 013 over the South Branch Potomac River in Hardy County, the “Charlotte Denise Seymore Hill Memorial Bridge.”

Committee Hearings

House Bill 2393 requires reporting from the Mountaineer Trail Network Authority each year to the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

House Bill 2451 creates home-based businesses for the manufacture, provision, or sale of goods or services in the owner’s residential dwelling. The business must be a “no-impact” business, meaning the number of employees and clients do not exceed the municipal occupancy capacity, business activities are limited to the sale of lawful goods and services, do not generate increased traffic or parking needs, occur in the home or the yard, and are not visible from the street.  

House Bill 2479 drops the number of required members for an economic development authority from 12 to seven.

House Bill 2835 creates the WV Infrastructure Deployment Clearinghouse.

House Bill 2856 allows for the installation of broadband fiber optics on property with conservation easements.

House Bill 2878 requires railroad companies and the Division of Highways to enter into a memorandum of understanding for construction and maintenance activities. The companies are required to provide alternative entry and exit ways.

House Bill 3135 creates a new crime for obstructing highways or passageways. The bill was explained as obstructing in protest. Initially, the crime is a misdemeanor with a $500 fine and imprisonment of at least a month. If the person commits the crime in an aggravating manner, the crime is a felony with a fine of at least $1,000 and imprisonment for 3 months to 3 years.

House Bill 3144 encourages the development of wireless infrastructure.

House Bill 3146 lowers the number of applicants of a military organization for a special plate from 100 to 50.

House Bill 3231 requires lessees of West Virginia real estate who make natural resources royalty payments for in-state property to any nonresident lessor to withhold West Virginia personal income tax on natural resources royalty payments. This applies to lessors who owe more than $1,000.

House Passes Amended Sextortion Bill

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Today, the House convened and passed four bills.

Before today’s floor session, House Rules met and moved House Bill 2060 and House Bill 2054 to the inactive House Calendar. House Bill 2008 and House Bill 2009 were moved to the active Special Calendar, and then both were advanced to third with the right to amend.

The four bills that head to the Senate are:

Senate Bill 240 creates the crimes of sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion. A person commits sexual extortion (or sextortion) if they knowingly and intentionally disclose or threaten to disclose private photos of another person to compel the victim, the victim’s spouse, child, or other family member, to do or not do something against their will. If found guilty of felony sexual extortion, one could be imprisoned for 1 to 5 years for the first offense, 3 to 10 years for the second offense, and 10 to 20 years for a third and subsequent offense. Aggravated sexual extortion is sexual extortion that involves a minor or vulnerable adult; or if the victim suffers serious bodily injury or death.  If found guilty of felony aggravated sexual extortion, one could be imprisoned for 10 to 20 years.

House Bill 2267 is a rule bundle for the Department of Revenue. The agencies included in the rules are the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration, Insurance Commission, Lottery Commission, and Tax Division.

House Bill 2710, the Truth in Giving Act, requires thrift operators to provide signage indicating whether they are a 504C charity organization or a for-profit organization at donation drop-off and on the store door. This allows donors to know who/what they are donating to. The bill came about because individuals thought they were donating to charity, but they were donating to for-profit businesses.

House Bill 2871 changes negligent homicide to vehicular homicide. Vehicular homicide remains a misdemeanor with a fine of $1,000 to $10,000 and/or up to a year in jail. The bill adds to this section of the code aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular homicide in a school zone or construction zone. Aggravated vehicular homicide is when one acts with deliberate disregard for the safety of others. The felony offense can be fined up to $20,000 and/or imprisoned for 1 to 5 years. For vehicular homicide in a school or construction zone, the individual would be guilty of a felony and may be fined $2,500 to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for 2 to 10 years. The bill was amended to include embryo/fetus as a protected person in vehicular homicides.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, March 11, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 10

Committee Meetings, tomorrow March 11

Senate Passes School Discipline Bill

The Senate passed a school discipline bill on Monday, legislation intended to help teachers deal with extreme student behaviors.

Senate Bill 199 outlines specific actions for teachers of grades K-6 to take when a student exhibits violent, threatening, or disruptive behavior: immediate removal of the student, parental notification, potential suspension, evaluation and a possible alternative learning environment.

The student would be sent to the school’s counselor, school social worker, school psychologist or behavior inhibitionist who would be required to conduct a functional behavioral assessment.

This staff member would create a “behavior plan” for the student that would be followed for two weeks. If adequate progress is being made after two weeks then that plan would continue. If the student is not making progress, then the behavioral plan could be changed and followed for another two weeks.

If the student is still not showing progress after two weeks of following the amended behavior plan, the student is to be placed in a behavioral intervention program or with a licensed behavioral health agency where the county has access.

If the county has no behavioral intervention program, the student would be immediately removed from the classroom, parents would be notified to pick up the child, and the student would be suspended for one to three days while alternative accommodations are made.

The student would not return to school until a risk assessment is done. After the risk assessment, the student could return to school provisionally for five to 10 days. If another incident occurs, the student would be placed in an alternative learning environment for the rest of the semester or school year.

This bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 11, at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings:

Workforce at 1 p.m. in 208W

Transportation at 1 p.m. in 451M

Pensions at 2 p.m. in 451M

Energy at 2 p.m. in 208W

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Morning Meetings for March 11:

Education at 9:30 a.m. in 451M

Gov. Org. at 9:30 a.m. in 208W

House Passes Defining Biological Sex Bill & Parents Bill of Rights

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The House convened today to pass seven bills. House Bill 2060 was postponed one day.

Senate Bill 456 defines “male,” “female,” and “biological sex” throughout the West Virginia Code. It defines single-sex spaces.

Senate Bill 490 prohibits ranked choice voting in elections in West Virginia.

House Bill 2129, the Parents Bill of Rights, states that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and medical care of their children and that the government cannot infringe upon those rights. There are limitations to prevent child abuse and other unlawful actions of the parent. The bill allows any parent who feels their rights have been violated to bring an action for injunctive relief against a person violating the article.

House Bill 2560 creates Infrastructure Ready Jurisdictions, by incentivizing municipalities to not have additional permitting requirements, other than those found in state code.

House Bill 2678 allows private schools to request a Division of Highways designation of a school zone.

House Bill 2942 extends the sunset date for the WV Department of Environmental Protection’s Design-Build Pilot Program to December 31, 2027.

House Bill 2943 extends the sunset date for the hazardous waste management fee to June 30, 2030

On Second Reading, House Bill 2054 was postponed one day. Senate Bill 240 was amended. The remaining bills advanced without amendment.

Senate Bill 240 creates a felony for those engaging or threatening to engage in sexual extortion. The bill outlines penalties. The bill was amended to include others living in the home with the victim other than the child or spouse.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.
Bills introduced can be found here.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. Monday, March 10, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 7

Committee Meetings, Monday, March 10

Senate Passes 5 Bills Friday

The Senate passed five bills during Friday morning’s floor session.

Senate Bill 22 would enact enhanced damages for nonpayment of royalties due from oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids production under the terms of a lease or other agreement.

Senate Bill 117 would permit physicians to be exempt from specified traffic laws when responding to an emergency call. The legislation provides that the physician must continue to exercise due care and provides for rule making.

Senate Bill 267 would permit holders of commercial driver’s licenses that have been downgraded solely as a result of their medical certification becoming expired or invalid to restore their commercial license upon presentation of a valid current medical certification.

Senate Bill 503 would allow sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission.

Senate Bill 573 would provide prohibitions on the use and sale of motor vehicles based on the energy source used to power the vehicle.

These bills now head to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, March 10, at 11 a.m.

Morning Meetings for Monday, March 10:

Gov. Org at 9:30 a.m. in 208W