The Judiciary Committee took up House Bill 3069 which relates to the right of certain persons to limit possession of firearms on premises.

This bill attempts to place in Code language borrowed from Texas, relating to securing firearms in cars at chemical plants and refineries. This effectively bars firearms in automobiles which are parked within the secured perimeter of such facilities. The committee spent time asking questions to speakers and to counsel to understand the bill fully, but ultimately it was rejected.

House Bill 3133 relates to requiring a parolee or probationer found to have suffered with addiction to participate in a support service. The bill seeks to require persons on probation or parole to participate in a support service for a minimum of 60 days.  The bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2229 adds violations of law upon which a public servants retirement plan may be forfeited. The purpose of the bill is to redefine a public servants “less than honorable service” by identifying certain misdemeanor offenses related to a public servants office or committed while the public servant is employed that could cause the forfeiture of a participants retirement plan. The bill will reported to the House.

House Bill 2690 relates to guaranty associations. The bill seeks to update an article to maintain consistency with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Model Act. The bill amends two provisions and will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2802 relates to Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. This bill seeks to prevent family wealth passed down through generations from being acquired by outside investors without first providing the family an opportunity to keep the land within their ownership and control. The committee asked multiple questions and after much discussion they finally passed the bill to be reported to the House.

House Bill 2718 requires purchasers of round wood to collect and maintain certain information. It provides that it is unlawful for any person or entity to purchase round wood without obtaining and recording certain information. This includes a photocopy of a valid license or timber license exemption issued by the Division of Forestry to the seller delivering the round wood, name and address of seller, and a complete description of the round wood purchased.

The bill was amended to take out “any person or entity” and replaced with “commercial purchaser.” The bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2864 increases salaries of magistrates, supreme court justices, circuit court judges and family court judges. The last pay raise for this group was in 2011. The committee substitute capped the salary of the Supreme Court Justices at $150,000.000 per year. The bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2497 relates to the whistle-blower law. The purpose of this bill is to extend or clarify protections under the states whistle-law. The bill places in Code language which provides additional protections to whistle-blowers and new protective language. The bill was reported to the House.

House Bill 2441 removes certain requirements related to wages for construction of public improvements. This bill removes the requirement that a public authority or employer file with the Division of Labor a certified payroll with respect to public improvements. The bill does require, though, that public authorities or employers file the physical address of employees. The bill was reported to the House.

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The first bill on the agenda for the committee was House Bill 2519, the Campus Self Defense Act.

This bill removes the restrictions of carrying a licensed concealed weapon on the public colleges and universities of West Virginia. It establishes that a person is permitted to carry a concealed pistol or revolver on campus within the parameters of specific school regulations, exemptions and specific restrictions.

Currently in the United States there are 21 states that either expressly allow colleges and universities to regulate firearms, or are silent on the matter, leaving gun regulation decisions up to the governing bodies of colleges and universities in the state. There are 16 states that ban carrying a concealed weapon on a college campus. The bill will be reported to the House and referred to the Finance committee.

House Bill 2968 adds remote service unit to the definition of customer bank communications terminals. This bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2837 relates to the licensing of advance deposit wagering. This bill authorizes the licensing of advance deposit wagering in WV. It defines applicable terms. It provides for “source market fees” and sets forth the distribution of those derived from wagers of account holders.

It explicitly provides that advance deposit account wagers are authorized and provides exception form certain provisions of code barring gaming. It confers jurisdiction to the Racing Commission, provides for the assessment and imposition of licensing and annual renewal fees, requires applicants to bear certain costs and explicitly prohibits advance deposit wagering in West Virginia unless conducted through an advance deposit wagering licensee. It provides for criminal penalties for accepting advance deposit wagers without a license and gives the Racing Commission power to seek civil remedies and damages for violations. The bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2934 permits interactive wagering authorized as West Virginia Lottery interactive wagering activities. There was also a strike and insert amendment that the committee accepted. The purpose of the bill is to authorize interactive wagering in WV.

The bill authorizes the licensing of interactive wagering in WV. It must be done under the auspices of the currently licensed casinos. It goes on to define the terms used.

It details the specific duties and powers of the West Virginia Lottery Commission in oversight, with explicit provisions for rule-making authority and emergency rule-making authority, while requiring the Commission to levy and collect fees, surcharges, civil penalties, and weekly tax on adjusted gross interactive wagering receipts and deposit them into the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Fund. The bill will be reported to the House

House Bill 2617 relates to the form for making offer of optional uninsured and underinsured coverage by insurers. The purpose of this bill is to require the Insurance Commissioner to provide for the use of electronic means of delivery and electronic signing of the form for making an offer of optional uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage by insurers. Any signature executed in conformity with the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act is enforceable. The bill will be reported to the House.

House Bill 2770 relates to the Fairness in Cost-Sharing Calculation Act. This bill seeks to create the Fairness in Cost-Sharing Act by establishing cost sharing calculations for health plans and pharmacy benefits. The bill will be reported to the House.

There was also an originating bill in the committee. This bill relates to criminal penalites for reckless driving. The bill increases the penalty for the existiing crime of reckless driving causing serious bodily injury. the new penalties are two to ten years and a fine of $1,000 to $2,000.

Second, the bill creates a felony for reckless driving causing death. that crime carries a penalty of 3 to 15 years and a fine of $1,000 to $3,000. the bill will be reported to the House.

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