The House Judiciary Committee met briefly Wednesday morning to advance two bills addressing mental health and juvenile jurisdiction and held a hearing on one bill.

House Bill 4169 addresses mental health examination requirements by updating state law to ensure consistency across related legal processes.

The purpose of the bill is to align the standards for mental health examinations used in certain court proceedings with those already required for involuntary hospitalization.

The bill was reported to the House with the recommendation that it do pass.

House Bill 4364 addresses juvenile jurisdiction on military installations by updating the sharing of authority between the federal government and the state.

The purpose of the bill is to allow the transfer of exclusive federal legislative jurisdiction back to the state in cases involving juveniles.

After considering the previous bills, the Committee then held a hearing on HB4484.

House Bill 4484 would grant county commissions the same flexibility currently afforded to municipalities when selling or leasing public property.

The purpose of the bill is to expand local authority by allowing counties to manage their real property under similar standards and procedures as cities and towns.

The House Finance Committee met this morning. A committee hearing was held on House Bill 4028, which would provide contractors of school facilities with a tax exemption on construction materials. Currently, sales taxes are imposed on School Board Authority projects. The removal of the 6 percent sales tax will increase the SBA’s purchasing power. There will be a reduction in costs because sales tax revenue can be redirected to other projects. This removal will stretch bond dollars for projects, as construction workers will no longer need to include a tax buffer in their calculations.

The committee also heard a budget presentation from the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and the Community and Technical College System (CTCS).

Higher education in West Virginia is affordable and attainable. Chancellor Sarah Tucker stated WV’s higher education system is meeting current and future needs of WV, its citizens, and its economy.

The nine community and technical colleges have an annual enrollment of 19,839 students. Of these students, 52 percent are part-time, 94 percent are WV residents, 48 percent receive financial aid, and the average age is 26. The 12 baccalaureate and Medical Institutions have an annual enrollment of 63,690 students. Of these students, 49,864 are undergraduate students, 57 percent receive financial aid, 66 percent are WV students, and the average age is 21.

HEPC is requesting $519,968,668 for FY27, and CTCS is requesting $ 91,396,984 for FY27. For FY26, the HEPC is requesting $290,531 for the Dual Enrollment Program. FY27 improvement request funding totals $12,575,269 for the Dual Enrollment Program, Capital Projects/Deferred Maintenance, and WV Invests Programs.

The Dual Enrollment Program allows students to get a head start in higher education. The additional funding allows students who normally wouldn’t be able to take these courses to take them. The program will be limited to juniors and seniors with a limited number of courses. The WV Invest Grant Program has seen growth over the past two years in degree production and credentials awarded in fields like allied health, education, information technology, hospitality, and tourism. Many Invest students are graduating without student loan debt.

The HEPC will continue to work on increasing college-going rate, attainment rate, and awareness of affordability. There are opportunities to increase accessibility by flattening financial aid and providing medical student loans.

The Committee on Health and Human Resources met Tuesday afternoon, advancing two bills and holding hearings on additional legislation relating to kinship and child welfare.

House Bill 4022 sets rules for assigning child protective services workers by county and requires reporting any changes to their placement.

The bill ensures counties have the correct number of CPS workers where they’re needed most. The legislation also gives the commissioner authority to adjust assignments based on each county’s immediate needs.

The bill was sent to the House with a recommendation to pass.

House Bill 4354 sets requirements for clothing and essential items for foster children.
The bill establishes what constitutes an adequate wardrobe for children in the state’s legal custody and outlines how payments for these necessities will be made.
The bill was sent to the House with the recommendation that it do pass, first being referred to the Committee on Finance.

The Committee then held hearings on HB4390, relating to the Kinship Parent Subsidy, and HB4393, relating to a Statewide Prevention Plan.

House Bill 4390 ensures that kinship parents receive a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent in certain situations and establishes the timeline for when these payments must be made.

The bill was marked up for further consideration.

House Bill 4393 requires the creation and implementation of a statewide prevention plan with trauma-informed, evidence-based services for children at risk.

The bill aims to provide support and resources to children and families who may need help, whether they currently have an open child welfare or youth services case.

The bill was marked up for further discussion.

The House Education Committee met Tuesday afternoon and advanced legislation establishing the West Virginia Collaboratory while also holding hearings on additional education-related bills.

House Bill 4002 would establish the West Virginia Collaboratory, which is a state initiative designed to coordinate research, workforce development, and education programs across agencies and institutions.

The bill was reported to the House with a recommendation that it do pass.

The Committee then held hearings on two bills, HB4014 and HB4422.

House Bill 4014 would establish the Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act.

The bill would create a micro-credentialing system, allowing individuals to earn credentials that reflect specific skills and areas of knowledge they have acquired.

House Bill 4422 would permit students in grades eight and nine to use summer school to improve academic performance and meet eligibility requirements for fall athletic participation.

The bill was advanced for markup and further discussion.

The Subcommittee on Government Administration met this afternoon.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4088 updates code governing the education, examination, and experience requirements for certified public accountants. It enhances the ability for certification. Delegate Criss (R-Wood), the lead sponsor, said the bill is needed to address the declining number of CPAs in the state. The bill allows the path to CPA to begin sooner with a bachelor’s degree. The bill provides three paths to CPA: a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a bachelor’s degree with 30 credit hours completed in accounting, or a master’s degree in accounting. All paths require passing the CPA exam. If the applicant has a master’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting, they only need 1 year of experience when applying for licensure, but within 30 completed hours, they must have 2 years of experience.

Virginia Slack, the president of the WV Board of Accountancy, said this is a nationwide initiative, and 20 states have already passed it. She said this bill opens a pathway for students to enter the career sooner, while still maintaining examination standards.

House Bill 4148 requires real estate salesperson applicants to submit proof of United States Citizenship to apply for licensure. Delegate Patrick Lucas (R-Cabell), the bill’s sponsor, said this came at the request of the Real Estate Commission. The delegate said he isn’t opposed to rewording the language to include anyone legally authorized to work in the United States. The intent of the bill is to ensure that the individual applying is legally in the United States and authorized to work, not just citizens.

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

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4141 exempts an honorably veteran of any branch of the armed services of the United States from the payment of vehicle registration fees, with the exception of a special initial application fee of $10. The bill allows the spouse to continue using the veteran’s plate until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or fails to renew the plate.

House Bill 4176 allows youth and those who carry a Class Q special hunting permit to take one antlered deer during the special youth deer season.

The DNR cannot do this itself, as the law ties youth and Class Q licenses to Class XS licenses.

Kent Leonhardt provided a presentation on the Department of Agriculture.

In 2017, 148 tractor and supplies businesses were registered with Agriculture; now there are 238. Farmers’ markets have tripled. Agricultural output in West Virginia increased by 27 percent from 2017 to 2022. West Virginia has seen growth in Agriculture.

Leonhardt said we’ve changed the way we do agriculture in WV. Poultry is the state’s number one agricultural industry. An egg-cracking facility is being built in Pendleton County to sell liquid eggs to schools.

The apple industry is doing well, and maple syrup production is up in the state.

The House Judiciary Committee met Tuesday morning to review three bills addressing human smuggling, drug testing, and juvenile jurisdiction, and heard a presentation on the Office of the Inspector General.

House Bill 4433 updates current law by increasing penalties for knowingly transporting undocumented individuals.

The bill would require a minimum of five years in prison before parole eligibility for those convicted.

The bill also adds a legal definition of “illegal alien” under state human trafficking law and makes undocumented individuals ineligible for restitution.

Del. Evan Hansen (D) – Monongalia, 079) minority chair of the Energy and Public Works Committee, expressed concerns that the bill could increase the presence of ICE agents in West Virginia, noting that the state already has approximately 300 ICE detainees, which only adds to the overcrowding in West Virginia jails. He stated that three-quarters of the individuals that ICE is detaining have no criminal records and are not in the country illegally.

“My concern is that this will subject people of faith to criminal penalties and time in jail”, Del. Hansen said. “For a lot of people, religion is not just about going to church or praying; it’s about taking care of the poor, needy, and immigrants; this bill criminalizes compassion.”

Supporters say the legislation is intended to address gaps in existing law.

“Our compassion has been exploited for too long, and the perpetual amnesty cries and the facilitating of the invasion of this country have gone on for far too long. I strongly support this bill”, Del. Joe Funkhouser (R – Jefferson, 098) said.

The bill was reported to the House with the recommendation that it do pass.

Next, the Inspector General for the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities, Ann Urling, presented a report to the Committee about the role of Inspectors General.

Urling states that their mission is to promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the integrity of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Following, the Committee discussed House Bill 4169, which expands who is authorized to complete and verify a mental health examination.

The bill removes language limiting examinations for licensed psychologists or psychiatrists and instead allows a verified certificate of mental health examination to be completed by a:

* Physician

* Psychologist

* Licensed professional counselor (LPC)

* Licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW)

* Advanced nurse practitioner with psychiatric certification, practicing in compliance with state code

* Psychiatric assistant, practicing in compliance with state code

The bill was advanced and marked up for further discussion.

Next, the Committee advanced House Bill 4364, which clarifies how juvenile cases are handled on military installations and allows the state to regain exclusive jurisdiction in certain cases currently under federal authority.

The bill was advanced and marked up for further discussion.