The House of Delegates convened at 10 a.m. for day 60, the final day of the 2016 legislative session.

The House completed its calendar this morning including SB 272 which would allow investigators from the Attorney General’s office to carry concealed weapons, SB 278 which clarifies physicians’ mutual insurance company is not state or quasi-state actor, SB 404 which would remove prohibition on billing persons for testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and, SB 427 which would transfer funds from State Excess Lottery Fund to Department of Revenue, SB 465 allowing professional employers insure certain risks through pure insurance captive and SB 578 which would protect utility workers from crimes against persons.

The conference committee on SB 597 met at noon in the President’s Conference Room.

The House will be in recess until 1 p.m.

The House of Delegates convened at 9 a.m. and finished business around 10 p.m. on Friday.

Only being one day away from the end of the 2016 session, the House calendar was lengthy to have final discussions on a total of 32 bills up for passage.

The first bill to pass was Senate Bill 107. This particular bill is also known as the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act. Another bill voted to pass was Senate Bill 262, which would eliminate need for law enforcement to obtain court order prior to having access to inmate mail and phone recordings. 

After the passage of a few bills, there was an extended debate on the floor over Senate Bill 269, the budget bill, which eventually passed in the House and will now be communicated back to the Senate.

The House returned from recess to consider the rest of the bills on the calendar. The first bill to be discussed after recess was House Bill 4741 which would expire funds to the Division of Human Resources, Medical Services Trust Fund. House Bill 4742 then passed right after that in order to work to expire funds to the Division of Human Resources, Medical Services Trust Fund from various accounts. Both bills will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

Along with bills passed on third reading, Senate Bill 298, also known as the Brunch Bill, passed in the House which would allow restaurants, private clubs and wineries to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays. The bill passed and will now be communicated to the Senate.

Among other bills passed were Senate Bill 339, 454, 504 and 517. Senate Bill 563 also passed which would work to increase retirement benefit multiplier for WV Emergency Medical Services Retirement System members.

Senate Bill 686 also passed in the House which would authorize local governing authorities hold sanctioned motor vehicle races on roads, street or airports under their jurisdiction.

House Bill 4017 was tabled, to be considered tomorrow.

A total of six bills were advanced to third reading.

When the House reconvened they took up and adopted HCR 36, which would allow for a constitutional convention of states regarding a balanced budget amendment. 

The House will reconvene at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The House of Delegates met today at 9:30 a.m. to get a head start on the final day for bills to be advanced to second reading. 

Two interns that have worked this session, graced the members with a speech, summing up their experiences here at the Capitol this session.  

Seventeen bills passed the House today, and among those 8 completed legislation. SB 384 would require the Bureau for Medical Services to seek federal waiver for a 30-day waiting period for tubal ligation, SB 459 would require county board of education to pay tuition to the Mountaineer Challenge Academy, SB 493 would allow the creation of self-settled spendthrift trusts, SB 516 relates to the registration for selective service, SB 545 relates to asbestos abatement on oil and gas pipelines, SB 595 relates to retirement credit for members of the WV National Guard, SB 613 would define total capital for purposes of calculating state-chartered bank’s lending limit and SB 614 would conform statute with court interpretation by replacing “unconscionable” with “fraudulent” when referring to conduct. 

SB 622 which relates to the composition of PEIA Finance Board, was delayed on the calendar one day and will be taken up on third reading tomorrow.

Twenty-eight other bills were advanced to third reading, with SB 539 laid over on second reading.

A message from the Governor provided an explanation for a veto on SB 10, which would create the Unborn Child Protection Act. The House overrode the veto with a vote of 85 to 15.

After reconvening once again at 5 p.m., the House continued with the remaining four bills on second reading today, including the budget bill, House Bill 4017. The House voted to consolidate the Senate Budget Bill within the House Bill.

Six bills were advanced to second reading as well. 

The House voted to concur with the Senate and pass HB 4346, HB 4587, SB 265 and SB 333. 

The following committees will tomorrow prior to session: 

Rules: 8:45 a.m.

The House will reconvene tomorrow at 9 a.m.