Blog – Page 210

Bill to allow overlapping mixing zones passes in House

House Floor Session

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March 1, 2017

Today, in the House of Delegates, Committee Substitute for HB 2506 passed. Committee Substitute for HB 2420 was tabled due to a similar bill, SB 231 which will be on 3rd reading in the House tomorrow.

Committee Substitute for 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 also allows for mixing zone overlapping while retaining the application of water quality criteria that are developed for protection of drinking water. The bill will be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

Bills on second reading included SB 231 and HB 2646.

SB 231 would provide that the State Board of Education may delegate its Medicaid provider status and subsequent reimbursement to regional education service agencies or county boards subject to the county board determining that there is a net benefit and no detraction from the educational program of the county.

Committee Substitute for HB 2646 would terminate the Women’s Commission and discontine its functions.

Committee Meetings Today

Veterans’ Affairs and Homeland Security: 15 min after session adjourned in 434M

Finance: 2:30 p.m. in 460M

Judiciary: 2:45 p.m. in 410M

Education: 2:45 p.m. in 434M

Gov. Org.: 3 p.m. in 215E

Committee Meetings Tomorrow

Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development: 9 a.m. in 434M

Banking and Insurance: 10 a.m. in 410M

Senior Issues: 1 p.m. in 215E

Energy: 2 p.m. in 410M

Health and Human Resources: 2 p.m. in 215E

Committee on Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse: 3:30 p.m. in 215E

Committee Meetings on Friday

Sub-Committee on K-12: 9 a.m. in 434M

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

Tax Exemptions for Aircraft Maintenance Approved in Senate Economic Development

Senate Committee

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March 1, 2017

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The Senate Committee on Economic Development has approved a bill that would provide tax exemptions for certain services and property sold for the repair, remodeling and maintenance of aircraft operated under a fractional ownership program.

The bill, SB 61, would cause a $1,500 tax impact to the state during fiscal year 2018, with no expenses in fiscal years thereafter.

Lead sponsor for the bill, Senator Mike Romano (D-Harrison) said the bill would help to diversify the state’s economy and provide job opportunities in growing north-central airports.

Romano said the bill would also “get us in line with the rest of the country,” since all other states have provisions for the proposed tax exemptions.

Chris Hall of the West Virginia Airspace Alliance spoke in support of the opportunities presented by the bill.

“This is an important jobs bill,” Hall said, “And it’s at a minimum cost to the state.”

Senator Chandler Swope (R-Mercer) also voiced his support for the bill, since he said he is a pilot himself who understands the potential of the bill for the state.

An identical bill passed the Senate 34-0 last year but was voted down in the House.

The bill will be referred to Senate Finance once reported to the floor.

The Senate Passed Nine Bills Today to the House

Senate Floor Session

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March 1, 2017

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The Senate met today and passed nine bills. These bills were SB 5, SB 9, SB 180, SB 225, SB 261, SB 337, SB 345, SB 346, and SB 347.

Senate Bill 5 would disqualify CDL for DUI conviction in certain cases.

Senate Bill 9 would regulate unmanned aircraft systems.

Senate Bill 180 would relate to PSC jurisdiction over certain telephone company and internet services.

Senate Bill 225 would allow magistrates to conduct proceedings for temporary emergency protective order dealing with temporary custody by family court.

Senate Bill 261 would relate to increasing salary or wages of judgement debtor.

Senate Bill 337 would allow hiring correctional officers without regard to placement on the correctional officer register.

Senate Bill 345 would allow hunting and trapping on private property Sundays in the regular hunting season.

Senate Bill 346 would relate generally to jurisdiction of PSC over motor carriers.

Senate Bill 347 would relate to the modernization of Physician Assistant Practice Act.

Senate Bills 485-494 were introduced.

Senate Resolution 26 was adopted recognizing Holly Boggs on winning the 2016 Earle S. Dillard Insurance Agent of the Year Award.

Senate Resolution 27 was also adopted designating March 1, 2017 as Cancer Survivorship Day in West Virginia.

The following committees meet today:

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M and tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W.

Agriculture at 2 p.m. in 208W.

Pensions at 2 p.m. in 451M.

Economic Development at 1:15 p.m. in 208W.

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

House Finance Committee Meets Briefly to Report Two Bills

House Committee

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March 1, 2017

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This morning the House Finance Committee met very briefly to report two bills that update language in some tax acts. The Bills were HB 2590 and HB 2594.

House Bill 2590 would update the meaning of federal taxable income and certain other terms used in the West Virginia Corporation Net Income Tax Act.

House Bill 2594 would update the meaning of federal adjusted gross income and certain other terms used in the West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act.

The House Finance Committee will meet again today following a 3 p.m. budget hearing.

Senate Judiciary Approves Four Bills

Senate Committee

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February 28, 2017

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The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved four bills to be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that they pass.

SB 224 would repeal the requirement for an employer’s bond for wages and benefits for certain designated employers and related requirements.

Senators differed over whether the passage of the bill would help small construction and mineral industry businesses to start up without having to establish a wage bond or if it would simply deprive workers of better wage security.

None of the states bordering West Virginia require wage bonds from employers in construction and mineral industries.

David Mullins from the Division of Labor was present to answer questions from the committee. He said the Division currently holds 4,435 wage bonds to protect those workers should their companies go bankrupt.

SB 429 would allow the Division of Corrections to monitor inmate electronic communications.

SB 436 would allow investigators from the Attorney General’s office to carry firearms in the course of their official duties under certain circumstances.

SB 445 would amend the definition of an “abused child” to include a child conceived as a result of an act of sexual assault.

The committee will meet again tomorrow at 3 p.m.

House Health passes two bills, rejects one, and lays over another

House Committee

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February 28, 2017

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House Committee on Health and Human Resources passed two bills, rejected one, and laid over another.

HB 2520 would prohibit the use of tanning devices by a person under the age of 18. Currently, law states that persons 14 to 17 can use a tanning device with parental consent. This law would replace that law and state no one under the age of 18 shall use a tanning device. According to the dermatologist who presented, the use of these devices is directly correlated to the development of skin cancers.

HB 2653 would extend the multistate real-time tracking system to June 30, 2023.

HB 2624 was rejected; it would have eliminated the Board of Sanitation.

HB 2132 was laid over until a future meeting; it would ensure that all able bodied adults without dependents are working, or in a work program, for a minimum of 20 hours per week for continued eligibility for SNAP benefits. Currently, there is a nine county pilot program doing this. The committee voted to lay the bill over until data on the pilot program could be provided.

HB 2555 moved through House Labor and Industry

House Committee

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February 28, 2017

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House Committee on Labor and Industry passed HB 2555 today. It also postponed HB 2009 indefinitely and laid HB 2546 over to the next meeting’s agenda.

HB 2555 removes the requirement that programs be jointly administered by labor and management trustees in order to qualify for tax credits for apprenticeship training construction trade. The bill will be reported to the floor with recommendation that it do pass, but first be referred to the Finance Committee.

HB 2546 would allow uniform costs to be deducted from an employee’s final paycheck if the uniform is not returned. Employer must notify employee of uniform cost, demand uniform be returned in one business day and if it’s not, then it may be removed from paycheck. This bill will be on the agenda for the next meeting.

House Ag. and Nat. Resource Committee move four bills and lay over one

House Committee

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February 28, 2017

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Today in the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee one agriculture bill was approved and another was laid over. Three natural resource bills were approved.

HB 2566 was laid over to the next meeting. This bill (also known as The WV Fresh Food Act) would require that state programs purchase a minimum of 20 percent of its fresh food from in-state fresh food producers. Many questions were raised regarding this act, such as how would it be monitored, would it be more expensive, and the big one: can our farmers produces that much food in-state? As the bill reads, each institution would be required to purchase 20 percent. Institutions include schools, universities, correction facilities, and others. The bill will be on the agenda of the next meeting.

HB 2453 would expand the list of persons the Commissioner of Agriculture many license to grow or cultivate industrial hemp. The bill requires a statewide and a nationwide background check. This bill will be reported to the floor, with recommendation that it do pass, but first be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

HB 2641 would treat retired natural resource officers like all other law enforcement and exempt them from the state income tax. This bill will be reported to the floor, with recommendation that it do pass, but first be referred to the Committee on Finance.

HB 2662 would prohibit the wanton waste of game animals, game birds, or game fish. The bill makes it illegal to waste game that has been wounded, killed, or taken while hunting or fishing. Hunting/fishing license could be suspended for five years; could also be fined or jailed. This bill will be reported to the floor, with recommendation that it do pass, but first be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

HB 2663 would increase the compensation for natural resource officers. This bill will be reported to the floor, with recommendation that it do pass, but first be referred to the Committee on Finance.

House Bill 2356 Reported From House Political Subdivisions Committee

House Committee

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February 28, 2017

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The House Political Subdivisions Committee met today to discuss HB 2356.

House Bill 2356 would make it so that if a municipal planning commission proposed to demolish or construct projects within a historic district designated by listing on the National Register of Historic Places, it must secure the approval of the historic landmark commission, if one exists.

The bill was amended by Delegate Blair (R-Berkeley) so that if there are city or county historical landmark commissions, then one must get their approval as well before any work can be done on the site.

The bill was referred to the committee on Government Organization with a recommendation that it pass.

Adjusted School Eligibility Ages Approved in Senate Education

Senate Committee

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February 28, 2017

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The Senate Education Committee has approved a bill that would adjust the date upon which children become eligible for certain school programs and school attendance.

The bill, SB 186, would change the kindergarten age attainment requirement from age five prior to September 1, to age five prior to July 1; the early childhood education program age attainment date requirement from age four prior to September 1, to age four prior to July 1; and the age for which compulsory attendance begins to those who attain age six by July 1, of each year.

The committee substitute would enact the age requirements starting with the 2019-2020 school year.

Senator John Unger (D-Berkeley) said he was thankful to the chairman for putting the bill on the agenda, since he has seen how the age gaps in enrolling children into school have been an “ongoing problem” for many parents in the state.

No fiscal note was provided with the bill, as counsel believed there would not be much of a financial effect past the first few years of enaction.

The bill will be referred to Senate Finance once reported to the floor.