The House convened today at 11 a.m. to adopt House Bill 4175.

The House voted to suspend the constitutional law that would require House Bill 4175 to be read on three separate occasions. The bill passed unanimously and is to be effective from passage. It will now move on for passage in the Senate. The bill would help small businesses affected during a state of emergency.

An additional 13 bills were introduced, including House Bill 4197, which relates to the development of corporate sponsorships for state parks and recreational areas. House Bill 4200 was also introduced, which relates to the possession of concealed deadly weapons in certain buildings owned by the state.

House Bill 4014 had its first reading today.

House Bills 4039, 4071, 4074, 4075, 4076, 4077, and 4098 were passed by the House Committee on Health and Human Resources and has been referred to House Judiciary. House Veterans’ Affairs and Homeland Security passed House Bill 2895 and has referred it to House Finance. House Roads and Transportation passed House Bill 2135 and House Bill 2477 and has referred them to House Judiciary, as well as House Bill 2522 which has been referred to House Finance. House Judiciary passed House Bill 4006 and has referred it to House Finance, as well as House Bill 4135 which will have its first reading on the daily calendar Friday.

The following committees will meet today:

• Subcommittee on House Bill 4139 at 1:15 p.m. in 410M
• House Education at 2 p.m. in 434M
• House Finance budget hearings at 2 p.m. in 460M
• House Government Organization at 2 p.m. in 215E
• House Judicary at 2 p.m. in 410M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

• House Finance budget hearings at 9 a.m. in 460M
• Joint Committee on Water Resources at 9 a.m. in 208W

The House is adjourned until 10 a.m.

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.