The House Health and Human Resources Committee advanced two bills this evening.

House Bill 4641 would organize the guidelines for nutritionally adequate school breakfasts and lunches to follow standards set by new federal guidelines, as well as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This bill was advanced to the Standing Committee on Education.

House Bill 4770 would create limitations on the use of AI technology to deliver mental health care except for administrative functions. This bill was advanced to Finance.

House Bill 4982 would establish and expand a coordinated, statewide Healthy Lifestyles framework to promote nutrition, physical activity, and wellness through cross-agency collaboration, school-based initiatives, public-private partnerships, grants, and reporting requirements to improve the health of West Virginians.

House Bill 4760 would require insurance to cover certain nutrition and dietary needs that are recommended by a person’s physician.

House Bill 4907 would restrict the use of pesticides within 1000ft of schools. These pesticides include paraquat or paraquat dichlorate, atrazine, dicamba, chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichloroacetic acid (2,4-D), glyphosate, or perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance.

The House Energy and Public Works Committee met this evening.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4012 would reduce the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing and maintaining electric power generation and transmission facilities within this state by shortening the time to final decision.

House Bill 4026 requires integrated power companies to expand their integrated resource plans. The bill was amended to clarify that costs and benefits should be included in the plans submitted to the PSC.

House Bill 4461 provides that consumers are not required to pay for service outages lasting more than 12 hours.

House Bill 4489 allows the DMV to issue birth, death, marriage, or divorce records in the State Registrar. The bill allows for the DMV to collect a fee for doing so.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4011 would facilitate the implementation of third-party certification of mass balance attribution to promote waste reduction practices by enabling the use of recycled material in feedstock for new products.

House Bill 4862 would require the board of a public service district to cooperate with a county commission when the county commission has authorized the dissolution, sale, or merger of the district with another public service district.

The House Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism Subcommittee met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4504 requires the Division of Natural Resources to make rules for hunted antlered deer. The bill would allow first antlered deer to be taken under current rules, but adds that the second antlered deer must have three points on one side.

House Bill 4663 repeals the special license for multi-vendor private fairs and festivals where multiple vendors share liability and responsibility.

House Bill 4386 changes the age limit for firefighters. The bill was amended to allow applicants to be 40 years old.

House Bill 4493 was amended; the bill now creates the West Virginia Wholesale Accountability Act. The bill requires the wholesaler of residential homes to notify the seller that the home will be transferred to another individual or organization before the buyer takes legal title to the home.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4762 would provide reciprocity for licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are licensed and in good standing in other states and offer specialized and temporary licensure to foreign graduates through PAVE and ECFVGG.

House Bill 4800 would add “any other livestock” to penalties for dogs wounding livestock.

The House Judiciary Committee and its subcommittees heard and discussed several bills this morning.

Judiciary

House Bill 4382 would require collection agencies to provide 30 days’ notice by mail before wage garnishments.

House Bill 4552 would clarify what correctional officers of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation can do in their facilities.

House Bill 4570 would allow a landlord to serve an eviction notice by posting it on the front door, secure it, and take a photograph of it to show that it was posted.

House Bill 4625 would change the definitions of excise tax on property transfers to add and clarify exemptions.

House Bill 4522 would ban foreign spending on state ballot issues.

House Bill 4601 would expand the West Virginia State Police Unit for Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations. This bill would increase the number of members in the unit and would have offices located within the Department of Human Services offices.

House Bill 4603 would create a diversion process to allow parents who are having their children removed from their home to be placed with a family member under guardianship. This process is only available to select child abuse and neglect cases. Cases that are not available to this process include, but are not limited to, those where a parent has subjected a child to abandonment, torture, and chronic abuse.

House Bill 4755 would create enhanced sentencing for offenders of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, and third offense driving under the influence. This sentencing applies to offenders who have been previously convicted.

Courts

House Bill 4468 would require any court or state records that contain identifying information of a victim or an arrest remain confidential. This bill would require the name and address in a criminal complaint be confidential.

House Bill 4893 would increase the penalties for contempt of court.

House Bill 4466 would make the influence of narcotics in public fall under the same penalties as public intoxication of alcohol.

Homeland Security

House Bill 4179 would create a felony charge for individuals who assault police officers or police dogs.

House Bill 4345 would establish a protocol for preserving records and evidence in missing persons cases that are unresolved after one year by making them digital and being housed at the West Virginia Fusion Center.

Legal Services

House Bill 4053 would establish the Blue Envelope Program. The Blue Envelope program would assist communication between law enforcement officers and individuals with autism, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities during a motor vehicle-related interaction.

This envelope would include documentation such as, but not limited to, a driver’s essential documents, a driver’s license, vehicle registration, and an emergency contact card.

House Bill 4600 would require absentee ballots mailed in to be received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election to be counted.

The House Judiciary Committee and its subcommittees heard about several bills this morning.

House Bill 4606 would allow judicial officers, when determining bail, to use residency status. In the bill, this is described as including, but not limited to, if they are a resident of the state, they have ties to the community, or if they are a flight risk.

House Bill 4552 would clarify what correctional officers of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation can do in their facilities.

House Bill 4570 would allow whoever is serving the eviction notice to post it on the front door, secure it, and take a photograph of it to show that it was posted

House Bill 4625 would change the definitions of excise tax on property transfers to add and clarify exemptions.

Courts

House Bill 4603 would create a diversion process to allow parents who are having their children removed from their home to be placed with a family member under guardianship. This process is only available to select child abuse and neglect cases. Cases that are not available to this process include, but are not limited to, those where a parent has subjected a child to abandonment, torture, and chronic abuse.

House Bill 4755 would create enhanced sentencing for offenders of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, and third offense driving under the influence. This sentencing applies to offenders who have been previously convicted.

House Bill 4893 would increase the penalties for contempt of court in a magistrates’ court.

Homeland Security

House Bill 4522 would ban foreign spending on state ballot issues.

House Bill 4345 would establish a protocol for preserving records and evidence in missing persons cases that are unresolved after one year by making them digital and being housed at the West Virginia Fusion Center.

Legal Services

House Bill 4601 would expand the West Virginia State Police Unit for Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations. This bill would increase the number of members in the unit and would have offices located within the Department of Human Services offices.

House Bill 4053 would establish the blue envelope program. The Blue Envelope program would assist communication between law enforcement officers and individuals with autism, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities during a motor vehicle-related interaction.

This envelope would include documentation such as, but not limited to, a driver’s essential documents, a driver’s license, vehicle registration, and an emergency contact card.

House Bill 4600 would require absentee ballots mailed in to be received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election to be counted.

The subcommittee on Government Administration met to discuss House Bills 4088, 4148, 4580, 4483, 4492, and 4550.

House Bill 4088 would change the licensure for certified public accountants. This bill would offer three different pathways. Two of these pathways include those who have been a part of post-bachelor degree programs, and one to expand the certification to those with only a bachelor’s degree. This bill was reported to the committee on Government Organization.

If a person seeking to become a certified public accountant decides to only get their bachelor’s degree, they would need to have two years of work experience to apply for their certification.

House Bill 4148 would require proof of legal citizenship in real estate license applications. This bill was reported to the committee on Government Organization.

House Bill 4580 would establish a pilot program that allows CPS workers to use a mobile device during their investigations and be able to access the department’s case management system.

House Bill 4483 would make changes to the licensing process for funeral services. This would make changes to the apprenticeship and update the standards for funeral service workers’ continuing education.

Under this bill, an apprentice funeral service licensee will only be required one year of apprenticeship rather than two. A funeral licensee will be able to take an examination and/or complete Board-selected targeted modules rather than a fixed number of hours. This bill will also extend an emeritus license from two years to four years.

House Bill 4492 would increase the maximum amount of broker deposits to $500

House Bill 4550 would require that, any time the state is involved in eminent domain, it must provide an appraisal to the landowner.