The House convened this evening at 6 p.m. to introduce a total of 50 bills, some of which were at the request of the Executive.

One bill introduced this evening was House Bill 4147 which relates to emergency preparedness. Another, House Bill 4167, would increase criminal penalties for damages to a cemetery or graveyard.

Several House members also expressed sympathy and gratitude to those who have helped during the current water crisis affecting nine counties in West Virginia.

The following committees will meet this evening:

• House Government Organization 15 minutes after the floor session in 215E.
• House Judiciary at 7 p.m. in 410M.

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

• House Agriculture and Natural Resources at 9 a.m. in 215E.
• House Veterans’ Affairs/Homeland Security at 9 a.m. in 460M.
• House Banking and Insurance at 10 a.m. in 215E.
• House Industry and Labor at 1 p.m. in 410M.
• House Political Subdivisions at 1 p.m. at 215E.
• House Roads and Transportation at 2 p.m. in 215E.
• House Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at 2 p.m. in 460M.
• House Energy at 3 p.m. in 410M.
• House Senior Citizen Issues at 3 p.m. in 215E.

The House adjourned until 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The House of Delegates met at 11 a.m. today for the second day of Regular Session.

Today was acknowledged as Monongolia County Day with a citation given to celebrate the county’s accomplishments.

A citation was also presented to the family of the late Congressman Harley Orrin Staggers.

Two house resolutions relating to procedures were adopted. 

House Resolution 2 establishes the Calendars of the House. As it was adopted, there are two separate calendars, the Daily Calendar and the House Calendar. Nothing on the House Calendar shall take precedence over items on the Daily Calendar without a two-thirds vote. Nothing can be removed from the Daily Calendar without a majority vote by the Committee on Rules, and a majority vote by the Committee on Rules can add a removed item to the schedule once again. A roll call of all votes pertaining to the preparation of the House Calendar will be kept on record.

 House Resolution 4 re-establishes and realigns Standing Committees.

Among the changes made by the adoption of this resolution, House Resolution 4 merged two committees to form the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Committee on Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business was divided, becoming respectively, the Comittee on Industry and Labor, the Committee on Energy, and the Committee on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.

Unresolved bills from the previous session were carried over, along with several new bills introduced, bringing the count to 743 bills.

The House is adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

The following committees will meet today:

House Finance today at 1 p.m. in 460M.

House Judiciary today at 1 p.m. in 410M.

House Education today at 2 p.m. in 434M.

Government Organization today at 3 p.m. in 215E.

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

House Health tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. in the House Chamber.

The House and Senate reconvened at 7:00 p.m. this evening for a joint session in the House Chamber for the Governor’s presentation of the State of the State address.

Both the House and the Senate met briefly following the address to introduce the proposed Budget Bill.

Budget Bills:

House Bill 4015

Senate Bill 306

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

Senate Finance will meet at 9:30 a.m. in room 451M.

House Finance will meet at 9 a.m. in room 460M.

House Judiciary will meet at 9:15 a.m. in room 410M.

The Senate and House are in recess until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

This afternoon, the House of Delegates convened for the 2nd Regular Session of the 81st Legislature.

After adopting procedural resolutions, the House adopted  House Concurrent Resolution 1, which extends an invitation to the Governor to deliver the State of the State address tonight at 7 p.m.

Additionally, the House introduced 15 bills for consideration.

Bills introduced include  House Bill 4004, relating to criminal offenses for child abuse, and  House Bill 4014, which would increase criminal penalties for littering.

The House is in recess until 6:50 p.m.

Joint Finance Committee will hold a block grant hearing at 2 p.m. in 460M.

Meetings tomorrow include:

House Finance at 9 a.m. in 460M.

House Judiciary at 9:15 a.m. in 410M.