The Senate has advanced 44 bills and one joint resolution from second reading.

Senate Bills 38, 40, 57, 238, 282, 286, 293, 294, 333, 343, 369, 375, 399, 402, 406, 409, 446, 465, 469, 482, 484, 501, 507, 515, 521, 526, 534, 549, 563, 588, 606, 609, 613, 636, 637, 656, 664, 667, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691 and 693 and Senate Joint Resolution 6 were advanced from second reading.

Amendments were offered for 11 of those bills on second reading.

Senator Ron Stollings, D-Boone, amended SB 38 to make technical corrections.

Senator Mike Hall, R-Putnam, amended SB 293 to make technical corrections.

Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, made a strike and insert amendment to SB 369 on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to clarify the process of permitting surface owners to purchase mineral interests when the interest becomes tax lien.

Senator Ryan Weld, R-Mercer, amended SB 399 to clarify the intent of a provision in the bill related to political subdivisions.

Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, proposed a strike and insert amendment to SB 484 that would incorporate a budget proposal from Governor Justice in with the bill. The amendment was unanimously rejected after it was determined that the proposal was outdated and had since been revised by the governor in meetings with the House majority and minority and Senate minority.

Senator Mike Romano, D-Harrison, amended SB 521 to make technical corrections.

Senator Trump made an amendment to SB 549 on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to add more requirements to the bill’s provisions including an age limit, mandatory health insurance.

Senator Mike Hall, R-Putnam, amended SB 609 on behalf of the Senate Finance Committee to correct certain property levy rates in the bill.

Senator Ronald Miller, D-Greenbrier, made an amendment to SB 687 relating to the support of fish populations in environmental protection.

Senator Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, amended SB 691 to make a technical correction.

Senator Hall amended SJR 6 to make a technical correction to an incorrect date in the resolution.

Committee Meetings Today

Education: 4:30 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary: 4:45 p.m. in 208W

Committee Meetings Tomorrow

Transportation and Infrastructure: 8:30 a.m. in 451M

The Senate is in recess until 6 p.m. this evening.

The Senate has completed legislation on two bills that will now be sent to the governor for enaction.

HB 2506 allows permit limits to be calculated using design flows recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Act for human health; specifically, the use of the harmonic mean flow. It would also allow for mixing zone overlapping while retaining the application of water quality criteria that are developed for protection of drinking water.

HB 2774 allows aircraft and aircraft parts to be taxed at the same rate as aircraft property.

The Senate also passed 14 bills to be sent to the House for further consideration.

SB 60 would provide for eligibility and fraud requirements for public assistance by requiring the Department of Health and Human Resources to implement work requirements for applicants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Senator Robert Beach, D-Monongalia, made a motion to table the bill due to the possibly negative effects increased regulations in the bill could have on the 20% of the state population who rely on those SNAP benefits. The motion was rejected.

SB 74 would allow fire departments to charge fees for service calls.

Senator Greg Boso, R-Nicholas, amended the bill to change a certain fee amount limit provided.

SB 217 would increase the number of limited video lottery machines allowed at retail locations. The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.

SB 376 would add persons who have been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for conduct related to qualifying offenses to comply with the registration requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act.

SB 401 would permit a county board of education to base its employment decisions, transfers, reassignments, reductions in the number of professional personnel, reductions in classroom teaching positions and reductions in the workforce on an individual’s qualifications.

SB 578 would establish a new fee structure for the furnishment of health care records by allowing records to be furnished to a patient’s personal representative and establishing a limit on the total fee allowable for the furnishment of a patient’s health care record.

SB 601 would adjust limits on consumer loans in West Virginia for which certain finance charges may be imposed.

SB 621 would provide that at any point after a county board of education provides written notice to the state board that it is considering or in the process of closing or consolidating a school or schools, any revision or supplementation to certain rules is not applicable to the school closing or consolidation project described in the county board’s notification to the state board.

SB 630 would establish the Accessibility and Equity in Public Education Enhancement Act to allow a county board or a multicounty consortium to create a virtual instruction program for one or more schools serving any composition of grades K-12 by adopting a policy creating the program and contracting with virtual school providers.

SB 634 would create an exemption for the Department of Health and Human Resources from having to go through the requirements of the Division of Purchasing when entering into agreements with West Virginia University or Marshall University for the provision of services, which will encourage collaboration and cost-saving between the Universities and Department of Health and Human Resources.

SB 647 would repeal a section of the Code which imposes an additional county excise tax on the privilege of transferring real property for the purposes of funding farmland preservation, and replace the same by amending the Code to add a subsection which provides for an additional county excise tax on the privilege of transferring real property for the purposes of funding the county farmland preservation program and the operations, programs and activities of the local economic development corporation or authority.

Senator Ronald Miller, D-Greenbrier, made an amendment to make minor changes for clarification throughout the bill.

SB 686 would exempt facilities providing direct patient care that are managed, directed, controlled and governed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources from the otherwise required oversight and review by the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration, as well as require the Legislative Auditor to audit purchasing made by such facilities and report the findings to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

HB 2001 modifies the ethics and purchasing laws to provide more transparency in government.

Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, made an amendment on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to correct language in the bill related to public contracts and other provisions. 

Senator Ryan Weld, R-Mercer, further amended sections of the Judiciary amendment related to the Ethics Commission and higher education compliance.

HB 2868 would clarify that presumed abandoned property in the form of amounts owed by an insurer on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity that has matured or terminated, and obligations related thereto, are guided by the policies, requirements and interpretations of the Insurance Commissioner.

Of those bills on third reading, Senate Bills 281, 416, 417, 421 and 504 were requested to lie over for one day.

Members of the Senate also adopted four resolutions.

SR 55 designates today as WVU and WVU Extension Service Day at the Capitol.

SR 56 congratulates the WVU rifle team for winning the 2017 NCAA Rifle Championship.

SR 57 recognizes the 200th anniversary of the Sistersville Ferry.

SR 58 recognizes the 100th year of the main structure at Parkersburg High School.

The Senate is in recess until 2:45 p.m. this afternoon.

The Senate has advanced 18 bills from second reading this evening to be put to a vote in tomorrow’s session.

SB 60 would provide for eligibility and fraud requirements for public assistance by requiring the Department of Health and Human Resources to implement work requirements for applicants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Senator Ed Gaunch, R-Kanawha, amended the bill to strike out certain stores that were originally prohibited from accepting electronic benefit transfer card transactions.

Senator Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, also amended the bill to clarify and correct some of the bill’s language.

Senator Douglas Facemire, D-Braxton, proposed an amendment that was rejected to strike out a certain subsection of the bill related to all assets of the members of a SNAP applicant’s household.

SB 217 would increase the number of limited video lottery machines allowed at retail locations. The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.

SB 281 would increase the number of limited video lottery machines that a retailer may have from five to seven, increase the number of limited video lottery terminals certain tax exempt organizations may have and require the Lottery Commission to conduct a bid for permits held by current permit holders expiring June 30, 2021 prior to September 1, 2017.

SB 376 would add persons who have been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for conduct related to qualifying offenses to comply with the registration requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act.

SB 401 would permit a county board of education to base its employment decisions, transfers, reassignments, reductions in the number of professional personnel, reductions in classroom teaching positions and reductions in the workforce on an individual’s qualifications.

Senator Ed Gaunch, R-Kanawha, amended the bill to make mostly technical corrections to the bill that he had not addressed earlier with the bill’s drafting. 

SB 416 would eliminate the cap on the size of projects constructed by the Division of Highways and to remove the sunset date.

SB 417 would remove the financial limitations on how many design build projects may be undertaken by the Division of Highways.

Senator Mike Hall, R-Putnam, amended the bill to make a minor technical correction.

SB 421 would increase from $200 million to $500 million the amount the Division of Highways is allowed to use to apply for Federal Grant Anticipation Notes to be reimbursed from the funds made available to West Virginia from the federal government’s Highway Fund for West Virginia.  

SB 578 would establish a new fee structure for the furnishment of health care records by allowing records to be furnished to a patient’s personal representative and establishing a limit on the total fee allowable for the furnishment of a patient’s health care record.

SB 601 would adjust limits on consumer loans in West Virginia for which certain finance charges may be imposed.

SB 621 would provide that at any point after a county board of education provides written notice to the state board that it is considering or in the process of closing or consolidating a school or schools, any revision or supplementation to certain rules is not applicable to the school closing or consolidation project described in the county board’s notification to the state board.

SB 630 would establish the Accessibility and Equity in Public Education Enhancement Act to allow a county board or a multicounty consortium to create a virtual instruction program for one or more schools serving any composition of grades K-12 by adopting a policy creating the program and contracting with virtual school providers.

SB 634 would create an exemption for the Department of Health and Human Resources from having to go through the requirements of the Division of Purchasing when entering into agreements with West Virginia University or Marshall University for the provision of services, which will encourage collaboration and cost-saving between the Universities and Department of Health and Human Resources.

Senator Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, made an amendment to the bill to include the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in the provisions of the bill.

SB 647 would repeal a section of the Code which imposes an additional county excise tax on the privilege of transferring real property for the purposes of funding farmland preservation, and replace the same by amending the Code to add a subsection which provides for an additional county excise tax on the privilege of transferring real property for the purposes of funding the county farmland preservation program and the operations, programs and activities of the local economic development corporation or authority.

SB 686 would exempt facilities providing direct patient care that are managed, directed, controlled and governed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources from the otherwise required oversight and review by the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration, as well as require the Legislative Auditor to audit purchasing made by such facilities and report the findings to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

HB 2506 would allow permit limits to be calculated using design flows recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Act for human health; specifically, the use of the harmonic mean flow. It would also allow for mixing zone overlapping while retaining the application of water quality criteria that are developed for protection of drinking water.

Senators Ronald Miller and Mike Romano moved to amend the bill to bring the bill in line with surrounding states and address the needs of civilians who presented before the Senate Judiciary Committee in regards to overlapping mixing zones. Both were rejected on the grounds that the amendments were unnecessary and simply limited the provisions of the bill that had already been agreed upon by several parties involved.

HB 2774 would allow aircraft and aircraft parts to be taxed at the same rate as aircraft property.

HB 2868 would clarify that presumed abandoned property in the form of amounts owed by an insurer on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity that has matured or terminated, and obligations related thereto, are guided by the policies, requirements and interpretations of the Insurance Commissioner.

Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to clarify the chronological orders of when and how certain groups or organizations mentioned in the bill are supposed to take action toward their provided responsibilities.

Of those bills on second reading, SB 484 was requested to lie over for one day. The bill would eliminate the exemption from sales tax for certain sales of materials acquired for use in state highway projects.

All bills on first reading were advanced to second reading.

Committee Meetings Tomorrow

Judiciary: 9 a.m. in 208W

Finance: 9:30 a.m. in 451M

Education: 2 p.m. in 451M

*Transportation and Infrastructure will not be meeting.

The Senate is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.

The Senate has passed 18 bills to be sent to the House for further consideration.

SB 69 would create the sexual assault survivors’ bill of rights regarding medical forensic examinations, sexual assault evidence collection kits and other similar topics.

SB 167 would allow law enforcement to obtain DNA samples, taken by buccal swab rather than drawing blood, from arrestees for certain criminal offenses. The bill also expands DNA sample collection to all those convicted of a felony offense.

SB 210 would provide for the fair distribution of costs for county development by authorizing the assessment and collection of fees to offset the cost of development, including industrial development, within affected counties.

SB 316 would require individuals receiving unemployment compensation to seek out seasonal employment. 

SB 380 would create a two-year pilot program permitting recreational vehicles on designated roads and trails in Cabwaylingo State Forest after purchase of special permits. The bill also provides for designation of campgrounds and tent sites to be used by the ATV and ORV users.

SB 388 would identify additional persons who may possess firearms on school property in parking areas.

SB 412 would provide that reporting certified payroll information for persons employed under the West Virginia Jobs Act is not required, but that other information as to persons employed may be submitted.

SB 437 would discontinue the West Virginia Racing Commission special account known as the West Virginia Greyhound Breeding Development Fund and transfer all moneys in the Fund to the state Excess Lottery Revenue Fund for appropriation by the Legislature.

Senator Mike Hall, R-Putnam, made an amendment to clarify some of the language in the bill.

SB 453 would add the classification and base salaries of certain civilian employees of the WV State Police Forensic Laboratory.

SB 493 would provide an increase in compensation for conservation officers.

SB 539 would make significant revisions to the law regulating election financing by modifying provisions relating to receipts and expenditures in elections, electioneering communications, reporting requirements and financial statements, among other modifications.

Senator Ronald Miller, D-Greenbrier, amended the bill to add certain language to the bill, and Senator Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, made a strike and insert amendment related to a provision protecting free speech.

Senators Mike Romano, Ronald Miller and Glenn Jeffries proposed different amendments to generally increase disclosure measures, and all were rejected.

SB 566 would provide payment to certain claimants who provided commodities and/or services to the state, but who were not paid because the agency reached its budget limit.

SB 586 would change the annual fees for custom slaughters, custom processors or distributors to triennial fees.

SB 614 would provide loan insurance for commercial loans used for the expansion of broadband service to unserved or underserved areas. 

SB 628 would provide funding for the Statewide Interoperable Radio Network through additional court costs to be imposed in criminal cases.

SB 631 would clarify the process by which municipal governments may abate unsafe, unsanitary or dangerous dilapidated structures that are detrimental to the public safety or welfare.

SB 671 would reestablish the West Virginia Anatomical Board.

SB 685 would create a one-day special license for charitable events to sell non-intoxicating beer.

Of those bills on third reading, Senate Bills 74, 504 and 576 and House Bill 2001 were requested to lie over for one day, and SJR 10 was tabled.

Members of the Senate also adopted SR 53 to designate today as West Virginia Industrial Hemp Day and SR 54 to designate today as Women’s and Girl’s Day at the Capitol.

Committee Meetings Today

Health and Human Resources: 3:45 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary: 4:15 p.m. in 208W

Finance: 4:15 p.m. in 451M

Committee Meetings Tomorrow

Transportation and Infrastructure: 10 a.m. in 451M

Education: 2 p.m. in 451M

The Senate is in recess until 7:30 p.m. this evening.