Blog – Page 192

County Economic Development Amendment Approved in Senate Judiciary

Senate Committee

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March 28, 2017

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved two bills and two resolutions to be reported to the floor with the recommendation that they pass.

SB 562 would reform the liability of municipalities and county commissions for civil actions brought by reason of a slip and fall injury due to defect or disrepair of municipal or county owned property.

Senator Mike Romano, D-Harrison, proposed an amendment to include an “open and obvious” policy to protect businesses and cities from civil actions where an open or obvious obstacle was involved in the injury. Those who opposed the amendment said it did not serve the bill’s original intent.

Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, made a strike-and-insert amendment on behalf of the committee to make technical corrections to the bill.

The committee first reported the bill without a recommendation and has again viewed the bill on its second reading to speed up the bill’s processing for passage.

SJR 4 would authorize the Legislature to, by general law, allocate a portion of ad valorem property taxes paid by owners of certain new manufacturing facilities and large capital additions to existing manufacturing facilities located in counties in which county commissions elect to fund infrastructure capital improvements using property taxes.

Marshall County Commissioner Bob Miller Jr. voiced his support for the bill and detailed how the additional funding would support the county’s infrastructure projects for I-68.

Senator Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, said the resolution would be a “game changer” for growing the economy in struggling counties.

This is a companion piece of legislation to SB 210, which passed the Senate yesterday.

An identical resolution passed the Senate during the last session, but was not taken up for consideration in House Judiciary in time for passage.

The resolution was previously reported out of Senate Finance with the recommendation that it do pass.

The committee also laid over SJR 8, which would enact a Fair and Simple Tax Reform (or FASTR) amendment to the state Constitution.

Among other specific provisions, the bill would repeal the personal property tax, authorize new classes of real property for the purpose of taxation, create a State infrastructure and equalization fund, provide for block grants to local schools and governments for education and infrastructure and establish exemptions to the real property tax.

Mark Muchow, deputy secretary of the WV Department of Revenue, was available to answer questions from the committee about the bill’s provisions.

Committee counsel said similar resolutions had been proposed in prior years.

The resolution originated from The Senate Select Committee on Tax Reform.

The committee is expected to meet 3 p.m. this evening in 208W.

Senate Advances House Bill to Protect Drinking Water Quality to Third Reading

Senate Floor Session

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March 27, 2017

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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.

Bill to Allow Optional Motorcycle Helmet for 21+ Approved in Senate Judiciary

Senate Committee

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March 27, 2017

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The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill, SB 549, that would allow individuals 21 and older to operate a motorcycle without a helmet under specified conditions.

Senator Robert Beach, D-Monongalia, made an amendment that would change the motorcycle endorsement qualification to 5 years instead of 2 years. The amendment was rejected.

Senator Mike Romano, D-Harrison, proposed an amendment to require health insurance coverage in the case that there is a motorcycle accident involving someone who was not wearing a helmet. The amendment was rejected.

The committee previously reported the bill to the floor, but it was requested that the bill be referred back to Judiciary again on its second reading.

The bill was previously reported out of Senate Transportation and Infrastructure with the recommendation that it do pass.

The committee also moved that SB 560 be revised into a resolution to be studied during the interim. The bill would establish a medical malpractice peer review panel by the Board of Medicine to review medical malpractice and medical malpractice-related claim.

Senate Finance Reports SB 609 to Full Senate

Senate Committee

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March 27, 2017

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The Senate Finance Committee met this afternoon to discuss two bills.

Senate Bill 609 would create additional flexibility for school systems in use of school aid funds. Senator Hall said explained an amendment to the bill. The amendment would raise the levy rate and everyone would get their money. If the county so chooses then they won’t have to raise the levy rate if they don’t want to. This would cause everyone to be funded without action. The amendment was adopted.

Senator Stollings (D-Boone) said, “I rise in opposition of this bill. We are basically taking money from education and placing the bill with the counties so they have to find the funds and raise their taxes. If the counties opt out of this, then education will be cut by this amount. When we are in the state we are in right now, we ought to be doubling down on education funding, not the opposite.”

The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass as amended with a vote of 15 yeas and 6 nays.

The next bill discussed was a committee originating bill that would create a special revenue fund in the State Treasury for volunteer fire fighters. $1.50 for each acre of timberland would be collected by the tax commissioner and put into that fund. Most will go to volunteer fire departments retirement. The tax commissioner would be able to promulgate rules to carry out the bill.

The bill was reported to the floor with no recommendation for first reading so it could be brought up back to the committee tomorrow.

The committee is in recess until 6 p.m. by request of the president of the Senate.

Senate Health and Human Resources Committee Reports HB 2459

Senate Committee

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March 27, 2017

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The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee met briefly to discuss HB 2459.

House Bill 2459 relates to regulation of health care and the certificate of need process. The amendment proposed by council was adopted and the bill was then swiftly sent to the floor of the Senate with the recommendation that it pass.

Before adjournment, Senator Trump (R-Morgan) said, “I think we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize that our decisions didn’t affect real people.” He then went on to recognize the secretary of DHHR, someone who has attended every meeting of the committee.

Senate Passes Election Financing Reforms

Senate Floor Session

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March 27, 2017

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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.

Resolutions Discussed in House Roads and Transportation

House Committee

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March 27, 2017

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The House Roads and Transportation Committee met today and discussed several resolutions.

HCR 78 would name the bridge locally known as Crab Orchard Creek Pipe over WV 16 in Raleigh County as the “Almond Brothers and Family Veterans Bridge.”

HCR 41 would name the bridge on WV Route 9 over the Shenandoah River in Jefferson County as the “Major Martin Robison Delany Memorial Bridge.”

HCR 50 would name a portion of Route 14, starting at the Lowe Family Cemetery to the intersection of Route 10 and Route 15 in Logan County as the “Lowe Mountain Memorial Highway.”

HCR 9 would name the bridge locally known as Baptism Bridge over the Little Cacapon River in Hampshire County as the “Frenchburg Bridge.”

SCR 28 would name a portion of road staring at the intersection of US Route 219 and WV State Route 15 to the Pocahontas County line in Randolph County as the “US Army SPC 4 Randall W. Arbogast Memorial Road.”

SCR 15 would name the bridge locally known as Kopperston Mine Bridge over the Tug River in Wyoming County as the “US Army CPL Herbert “Herb” Linkous Memorial Bridge.”

HCR 75 would increase the speed limit on highways to 75 miles per hour where appropriate

House Judiciary to Reconsider House Joint Resolution 24

House Committee

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March 27, 2017

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The House Judiciary Committee met in the afternoon briefly today to discuss HJR24 and SB 239.

HJR 24 would propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia relating to education, and providing for the election of members of the State Board of Education. The bill was moved to be reconsidered by the committee and the movement was adopted.

Senate Bill 239 would limit the use of wages by employers and labor organizations for political activities. The burden of responsibility would be on the employers to be sure the law is carried out. Many already do this through the use of a form, signed by both the employer and the employee. There would have to be an annual renewal of the contract as well. The bill was laid over until the next meeting.

The committee is in recess until 5 minutes after the House floor session at 4 p.m.

Product Liability Bill Passes in House

House Floor Session

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March 27, 2017

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Today, the House of Delegates convened and passed 12 bills, of those:

HB 2799 would remove the fourth requirement minors must fulfill to receive a work permit. The requirement is that the minor appear before the superintendent of school, which removes them from school for it takes to appear.

Delegate Richard Iaquinta II (D-Harrison) opposed the bill because students could get work permits easier. He said work is the number one reason students in West Virginia drop out of school. Fifty-five percent of them drop out because of family financial issues.

Delegate Geoff Foster (R-Putnam) said that it’s a simple bill that removes one requirement from the work permit process and that it would help students.

The bill passed 87-12 and will now be sent to the Senate for more consideration.

HB 2850 would limit product liability to the manufacture. This would keep business from being held responsible in product malfunction, as long as the seller didn’t do anything to alter the state of the product. The bill does set guidelines and exemptions. The bill passed 65-34 and will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

HB 2966 would create the West Virginia Sentencing Commission, which reduce disparity between sentence and crime. It would also do a study of national and local programs for drug rehabilitation. It would act as a standing Sub-Committee and make recommendations to the Legislature.

The bill passed the House 97-2 and will now be sent to the Senate.

Action on HB 3108 was delayed one day.

Five bills were moved to the foot of 2^nd reading and they include HB 2561, HB 2711, HB 2816, HB 2817, and HB 2933. SB 419 was moved from the Special Calendar to House Calendar.

Committee Meetings Today

Judiciary: 5 min. after session

Roads and Transportation: 5 min. after session

Rules: 3:45 p.m. behind House Chamber

Agriculture and Natural Resources: 8:30 a.m. tomorrow

The House is recessed until 4 p.m. today.

Update:

The House revconvened at 6:45 p.m.

HB 3107 was advance to third with amendments pending. If a delegate has an amendment for the bill, they will re-work the amend for SB 437, which was advanced and read for the first time tonight. The bills are similar and relate to horse and dog racing lottery.

HB 3109 was advance to third with amendments pending. This bill would transfer the regulatory authority of the Board of Registered Professional Nurses, the Board of Licensed Practical Nurses, the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners, and the Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board, to the Board of Nursing and Health Services.

HB 2561 would provide flexibility for school systems in the use of school aid funds. The would authorize counties to use up to $200,000 of the funds restricted for bus purchasing.

Delegate Rick Moye (D-Raleigh) move to amend the bill to diverted$200,000 from purchasing of school buses to be used as needed, as long as buses passed inspection. Diversion could only be used one every three years.

Delegate Paul Espinosa (R-Jefferson) opposed the amendment because the bill is to allow for more flexibility in the school boards. He said, “emergencies do not happen on a planned schedule.”

“If anyone wants to say we underfund our counties, especially our low density counties, I would agree with you. This amendment gives the school boards a little extra. Each and every year our buses are evolving, just like a car. I don’t think it’ll be long before there will be sensors that will alert the bus driver that a student is in a danger zone.

This gives them flexibility, just not unlimited flexibility. I spoke with two superintendents, and one said ‘Rick, you’re right. It doesn’t need to be unlimited flexibility.’” The amendment was rejected 34-60.

HB 2711 would abolish Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA) and funding by July 1, 2017. The bill would also eliminate the office of Education Performance Audits and establish the County Superintendents’ Advisory Council. The bill would also provide authority for county school systems to share services. The bill would require flexibility to meet the one hundred eighty instructional days in the school calendar. It would provide teachers with uninterrupted time for planning periods each week.

Delegates Isaac Sponaugle (D-Pendleton) and Larry Rowe (D-Kanawha) moved to amend the bill by placing in it the Governor’s pay raise for teachers.

Delegate Eric Nelson (R-Kanawha) stood against it, saying there is no funding source for the pay raise, which it why finance rejected it.

Sponaugle said there will 3.5 million from RESAs being cut. He said, “many of us on this side want to support our educators” The amendment was rejected

Espinosa amended the bill so that schools can use alternative methods of instruction for up to five days when schools are closed due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. The amendment was adopted.

HB 2816 would eliminate the new film tax credits but preserving credit for taxpayers authorized to claim credit and eliminate exemption from consumer’s sales and service tac for certain purchases of material acquired for use in state highway projects and increase the rate of barrel tax on beer.

Butler moved to amend the bill by increasing the tax from 6 to 6.5.

Nelson opposed to this amend, because this would be the highest sales tax surrounding our state.

Butler said there are very few offers for cuts, and we’ve got to do something. I think this is showing some respect for the governor’s work put into the budget.

The amendment was rejected 0-97.

Delegate Jim Butler (R-Mason) also moved to amend the bill by applying the Governor’s B&O tax.

Nelson said, “I guess a yes vote would solve our budget problem. But I urge rejection of the amendment because it would hurt the business owners in the state.”

Dlegate Mike Folk (R-Berkeley) said he rejects the amendment for another reason. There is another budget that is set for 85 million less than last year’s. There are other ways to solve budget problems other than taxes.

Butler said, we should consideration for governor’s proposal or suggest ways for state to live within means.

The amendment was rejected 0-97.

HB 2933 was advanced to 3^rd with amendments pending. Delegates Nelson and Brent Boggs (D-Braxton) have the right jointly amend the bill.

Committee Meetings Tonight

Judiciary: resume at 7:55 p.m. and again 12:01 a.m., if agenda isn’t completed and 8:45 a.m. in 410M

Gov. Org.: reconvene after floor session in 215E

Committee Meetings Tomorrow

Ag. and Nat. Resources: 8:30 a.m. in 215E

Rules: 8:45 a.m. tomorrow behind the House Chamber

Delegate Geoff Foster (R-Putnam) wanted to speak to the House. He said, “We hosted the VP this weekend. He came to address the small businesses in the state. It was an honor for us and many of your constituents.”

The House is adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.

In the House

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March 27, 2017

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As of 4 p.m., Friday, March 24, 2017, the 48th day of the regular session of the 83rd Legislature, 1106 bills have been introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Of those, bills 22 have passed this week and have been sent to the Senate for consideration. Among those: Completed

Senate Bill 127 would authorize the Insurance Commissioner to issue a legislative rule relating to Adoption of a Valuation Manual. This bill was passed by the House and the Senate.

Senate Bill 302 is a supplemental appropriation and it would supplement, amend, and increase appropriation for the Division of Human Service in the Department of Health and Human Resources for the designated spending unit for expenditure during the fiscal year 2017. The bill has been approved by the House and the Senate. It is currently awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 306 would supplement, amend, and increase an item of appropriation in the aforesaid account for the designated spending unit for expenditure during the fiscal year 2017. The bill has passed the House and the Senate.

Bills Passed from the House

House Bill 2519 would require the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources to enter into a compact to ensure payment for health care services provided to other states’ Medicaid participants. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2808 would provide assisted outpatient treatment to individuals suffering from mental illness to prevent them from harming themselves or others, as well as to prevent the costs of inpatient involuntary hospitalization and costs of incarceration due to untreated mental illness. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for further consideration.

House Bill 2857 would create the West Virginia Safer Workplaces Act. It allows employers to test employees and prospective employees for drugs and alcohol. The drug testing must be done during work time and the employer must pay for the testing. If a test is failed, a second test shall be administered. If both come back with positive results, then discipline actions may be taken. The goal of this legislation is to make the workplace safe for all employees. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for further consideration.

House Bill 3009 would grant the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification access to the Controlled Substances Monitoring Program database for regulatory purposes. The bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 3061 would encourage a limited cohort of schools to implement mastery-based education through the Innovation In Education program. The Department of Education is given a range of duties from the identification of barriers and potential solutions to developing an incubator process to support schools awarded an Innovation In Schools/Mastery-Based grant. The schools must meet the same requirements and accountability as other Innovation In Education schools. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 3089 would provide a transition to the county board of education level of the process for review and adoption of instructional resources required to be used in the schools under the jurisdiction of the county board. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2827 would update the all payor claims database. This bill was passed in the House and sent to the Senate. It is now in Senate Health and Human Resources.

House Bill 2840 would reorganize the departments, agencies and commissions within the executive branch of state government. This bill was passed in the House and is currently in Senate Government Organization.

House Bill 2856 would declare public policy and legislative intent for improving the marketing, quality and frequency of passenger rail service of the Cardinal Passenger Train. This bill was passed in the House and is now in Senate Finance.

House Bill 2402 would create a special procedure for a person in possession of an abandoned antique vehicle to apply for and receive title to the vehicle and to create a procedure for the DMV to search for the owner of the vehicle to provide notice of an application for the title to the vehicle. The bill was passed in the House and is now being reviewed in Senate Government Organization.

House Bill 2471 would require that on and after January 1, 2018, insurance coverage for breast cancer screening be provided by the Public Employees Insurance Agency, accident and sickness insurance providers, group accident and sickness insurance providers, health care corporations, and health maintenance organizations. This bill was passed in the House and in some being reviewed in Senate Banking and Insurance.

House Bill 2637 would extend the time a retired teacher could work as a substitute teacher post-retirement limit in areas of critical need and shortage to June 30, 2020. The bill also adds speech pathologists and school nurses under these provisions. The bill was passed in the House and is now being considered in Senate Education.

House Bill 2738 would provide more flexibility in the employee transfer process. It would remove the April 1 deadline for notifying the employee that he or she is being considered for a transfer. It would require a statement of reason for the transfer. The bill was passed in the House and is now being considered in Senate Education.

House Bill 2767 would authorize the Secretary of State to transmit electronic versions of undeliverable mail to the circuit clerks of the state to minimize agency costs and streamline processes for the state. The bill was passed in the House and is now being reviewed in Senate Government Organization.

House Bill 2797 would clarify that there is statutory immunity for government agencies and officials from actions of third-parties using documents or records of governmental agencies for unlawful acts. The bill passed in the House and is being considered in Senate Judiciary.

House Bill 2798 would clarify provisions relating to candidates unaffiliated with a political party as it relates to certificates of announcement, preventing potential candidates registered as members of a political party from using the provisions of the section to seek candidacy for office. The bill passed in the House and is being considered in Senate Judiciary.

House Bill 3030 would clarify that appeals to the Supreme Court are a matter of right and that every party has an opportunity to be heard. The bill passed in the House and is being considered in Senate Judiciary.

House Bill 2833 would describe specific categories of information that must be included in the annual report of each professional licensing authority established in Chapter 30 of the West Virginia Code. This bill has passed in the House and is now pending in Senate Government Organization.

House Bill 2898 would authorize the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to request and obtain criminal background information about prospective employees of the Legislature. The bill passed in the House and is being considered in Senate Judiciary.

House Bill 2916 would authorize supervising entities to authorize reserve deputies, ambulance crew members, firefighters, rescue squad members and emergency service personnel to carry firearms. It specifies the training required for them to be eligible to carry a firearm and allows them to be reimbursed for the cost of the training. The bill passed in the House and is being considered in Senate Judiciary.

House Bill 2180 would authorize the issuing of special “In God We Trust” license plates for a $10 fee, as well as special “Friends of Coal” license plates. The bill passed the House and now will go to the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2208 would allow counties and municipalities to establish a joint airport hazard comprehensive plan for the purpose of satisfying requirements of federal aviation law, protecting the public safety or preventing hazardous conditions. This is to help with safety with takeoff and landing. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2366 would require the selling of Jackie Withrow Hospital by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources. Currently, the state owns seven long-term care facilities. The Department of Corrections uses part of the building. Delegate Nelson said this bill allows the Secretary of DHHR to look into selling the facility and most importantly, where to relocate the residents. Delegate Bates stood to educate the House about Jackie Withrow. She was a member of the House of Delegates and the first woman to chair the Health and Human Resources Committee. If passed and the hospital is closed, there is a special revenue account to be known as the “Jackie Withrow Long Term Care Facility Development Fund.” The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2475 would require the Auditor and other state, county, district or municipal officers to certify to the Tax Commissioner the identity of payees prior to issuance of payments, and authorize the Tax Commissioner to identify those payees who are not in good standing with the Tax Department and to require the Auditor or issuing officer to forward to the Tax Commissioner the lesser of the amount of tax interest and penalty owed or the remaining amount of payment. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2494 would provide that statewide school report cards are only to be made available to custodial parents and guardians of students upon request instead of automatically being sent to the parents and guardians. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2524 would improve the focus on school-level continuous improvement processes led by the principal. The instruction must include the standards for high quality schools, the school accreditation process and strategic planning for continuous improvement. In the bill, school systems are given the flexibility to establish their own systems of support and supervision of beginning principals and the current state mandated programs and processes are eliminated. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2679 would prohibit county park commissions from prohibiting firearms in their facilities and to clarify that a firearm may be carried by a person for self-defense in state parks, state forests and state recreational areas managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2702 would excuse students from school for a family member’s illness provided an in depth excuse is provided by a doctor with a reason of why the student needs to be home with the family member. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2709 would authorize the City of South Charleston to levy a special district excise tax for the benefit of the South Charleston Park Place Economic Opportunity Development District. This would allow for a road expansion and development opportunities for an 80-acre pond and tech park. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2734 would authorize a method for the collection and remittance of property taxes related to dealer’s heavy equipment inventory. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2774 would allow aircraft and aircraft parts to be taxed at the same rate as aircraft property. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 2805 would declare certain claims against the state to be moral obligations of the state and to authorize payments therefor from the following funds: General Revenue Fund: $ 624,388.72, State Road Fund: $828,710.52, and Special Revenue Funds: $ 458,733.53 for a total of $1,911,832.77. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

House Bill 3093 would establish Broadband Enhancement and Expansion Policies. The bill would authorize the establishment of cooperative associations for the purpose of obtaining internet services. The bill passed in the House and will now got the Senate for more consideration.

Rejected

House Bill 2828 would have decreased the number of strikes a defendant has in a criminal proceeding from six to four from a panel of potential jurors and increased the number of strikes the prosecution has from two to four. The bill was rejected in the House 40-56.