The House Education Committee met this afternoon.

Senate Bill 63 would create the Sustaining Opportunities for Academics in Rural Schools Act. This act would provide support to rural communities to have access to local schools, prevent unnecessary consolidation, and provide financial and structural support to in-person public charter schools serving remote areas. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 899 would permit teachers who have worked 15 years in their school setting to be certified to work as school principals. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 502 would create the Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act. This act would allow a higher education institution to establish a women’s athletics endowment to support women’s collegiate sports programs. This bill was taken up for immediate consideration and was advanced to the floor.

Senate Bill 1077 would require vocational education agriculture programs to be offered to all students. This bill was advanced to markup and passage.

The House Judiciary Committee met this morning.

Senate Bill 4 would require bystanders to stand back 30ft from first responders, after receiving a warning and acting in a way that impedes, harasses, or threatens a first responder. A person who violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor and, if convicted, will be fined at least $50 but not more than $500, confined in jail for up to a year, or both fined and confined. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 59 would change voter eligibility and residency requirements for West Virginia. Some of these changes include defining “legal resident” as a person who resides in the state, county, or municipality in which he or she offers to vote, and has an intent to remain in the state, county, or municipality indefinitely. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 182 would allow counties the ability to make more than one minor boundary adjustment every two years. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 200 would increase criminal penalties and fines for assault on government officials, law enforcement officers, and police animals. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 440 would prohibit the delivery of items to help someone escape from federal correctional facilities, in addition to the existing entities spelled out in code. This bill also adds telecommunication devices, such as a phone, as an item that could aid escape. This bill also increases the crime penalty for transporting a phone or other telecommunication device into a jail. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 481 would change the code pertaining to voting precincts to allow for machines to be used for multiple precincts that are located close together. The purpose of this bill is to decrease lines at polling locations. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 531 would establish the First Amendment Preservation Act. This act would prohibit state agencies or any kind of organization receiving state funding from entering into a contract or agreement with a media reliability bias monitor. A media reliability bias monitor is any private entity why is rating news organizations on some kind of criteria, whether it be political leanings, misinformation, or disinformation, etc. An example provided in committee was an organization such as NewsGuard. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 651 would allow the State Auditor to engage a private auctioneer to sell certain tax-delinquent properties. It requires the highest bidder to pay the buyer’s fee to the private auctioneer. This bill was laid over.

Senate Bill 723 would clarify that law enforcement in the state can cooperate with law enforcement in bordering states.

Senate Bill 800 would clarify and change several sections of state policy regarding jury service. Some of these changes include administrative directors being appointed to handled remove names of people who have previously served on jury duty, create a list to be provided to their county clerk of which jurors are to be chosen from, and remove the “jury box.” This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 928 would add new code that would allow for separate licensing and manufacturing of “low-proof spirit alcohol products.” Low-proof spirit alcohol products mean any alcoholic liquor beverage drink, other than wine, beer, or nonintoxicating beer, containing 1.5% ABV or more, but not more than 15.5 % ABV, mixed with drinkable water, fruit juices, flavoring, or coloring materials, other alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or other ingredients in a solution, which are packaged in containers up to 25 fluid ounces. This bill was rejected by the committee. 

Senate Bill 937 would establish a community-based child welfare system, also known as Kyneddi’s Law. This bill would change the CPS system to be a community-based program in Berkeley and Jefferson County, and would eventually phase in all counties into the system. This would privatize the system, resulting in case management and services being managed by a contracted provider. Court proceedings will still be managed by the CPS. This bill was reported to the floor.

The House Health and Human Resources Committee met this afternoon.

Senate Bill 44 would allow for the sale of homemade food items, as long as they have the necessary permit for cottage food production. This sale can only be distributed directly to the consumer. This bill was advanced to the floor.

SB 742 would change the procedures of involuntary hospitalization. This bill would permit an authorized physician to order a 72-hour involuntary hold if the physician determines an individual is mentally ill and likely to cause serious harm to themselves or others, without first contacting a list of specific individuals. This bill was sent to the committee on the Judiciary.

This bill would also extend the time frame to file a mental hygiene petition from 24 hours to 72 hours following hospitalization.

Senate Bill 906 would allow for the prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin, as long as adhering to FDA recommendations. This bill was taken up for immediate consideration and advanced to the floor.

The House Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

Senate Bill 553 would authorize certain transfers of a contractor’s license to a license holder’s immediate family member. The bill would allow contractor licenses to be transferred to an immediate family member (a spouse, child, sibling, or parent) if the person receiving the license is involved in the management or operation of the business. The individual must employ individuals who meet the minimum qualifications for applicants for examination and licenses. The bill was amended and reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 1059 would allow agreements between solid waste motor carriers and their commercial customers with terms of more than one year.

Committee Hearing

Senate Bill 490 would be directed by the West Virginia Workforce Development Board to assist the Governor in determining the eligibility of short-term workforce training programs for Workforce Pell Grants.

Senate Bill 493 allows movie theaters with 8 or more screens to provide open captioning for at least 2 shows per week of each motion picture produced with open captioning.

Senate Bill 671 would increase the number of licensed commissioners on the WV Real Estate Commission.

Senate Bill 672 concerns teams in real estate. As a team leader, there would be continuing education requirements.

Senate Bill 852 would increase the fee for processing certified mail for any defendant in the US.

Senate Bill 701 would increase the sheriffs’ tax collection commission and establish a tiered system for sheriffs’ commissions for property tax collection.

Senate Bill 886 would allow for prescribed fire control on private property.

Senate Bill 897 would require the licensure or certification of alcohol and drug counselors.

Senate Bill 916 would provide for the use of “A.C.” as a name ending for an accounting corporation.

Senate Bill 927 would clarify the Commissioner of Agriculture’s authority to regulate bees, bee equipment, and apiaries in the state. It would clarify when legal proceedings may be maintained against certain owners or operators of agricultural land or agricultural operations.

The House Judiciary Committee met this afternoon.

Senate Bill 54 would create criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults. Under this bill, any caregiver who abuses or neglects an incapacitated adult, which creates a risk of serious bodily injury or death to the incapacitated adult, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined at least $1,000 but no more than $3,000, or imprisoned for one to five years, or both fined and imprisoned. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 506 would allow counties to lease their wireless towers to any entity as long as they are doing so safely. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 900 would make any jail, state correctional facility, juvenile detention center, or federal correctional facility in West Virginia a “targeted facility.” This would prohibit the flying of drones above the facilities. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 1008 would change the procedures for how asbestos and silica litigation is handled. These enhancements provide more ability to the judicial system to manage the litigation. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 928 would add new code that would allow for separate licensing and manufacturing of “low-proof spirit alcohol products.” Low-proof spirit alcohol products mean any alcoholic liquor beverage drink, other than wine, beer, or nonintoxicating beer, containing 1.5% ABV or more, but not more than 15.5 % ABV, mixed with drinkable water, fruit juices, flavoring, or coloring materials, other alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or other ingredients in a solution, which are packaged in containers up to 25 fluid ounces. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion. 

Senate Bill 937 would establish a community-based child welfare system, also known as Kyneddi’s Law. This bill would establish a pilot program in Berkeley, Jefferson, Summers, Raleigh, Fayette, and Monroe counties, which would privatize the system, resulting in case management, services, and court-related functions being managed by a contracted provider. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 59 would change voter eligibility and residency requirements for West Virginia. Some of these changes include defining “legal resident” as a person who resides in the state, county, or municipality in which he or she offers to vote, and has an intent to remain in the state, county, or municipality indefinitely. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 182 would allow counties the ability to make more than one minor boundary adjustment every two years. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 200 would increase criminal penalties and fines for assault on government officials, law enforcement officers, and police animals. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 440 would prohibit the delivery of items to help someone escape from federal correctional facilities, in addition to the existing entities spelled out in code. This bill also adds telecommunication devices, such as a phone, as an item that could aid escape. This bill also increases the crime penalty for transporting a phone or other telecommunication device into a jail. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 481 would change the code pertaining to voting precincts to allow for machines to be used for multiple precincts that are located close together. The purpose of this bill is to decrease lines at polling locations. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 531 would establish the First Amendment Preservation Act. This act would prohibit state agencies or any kind of organization receiving state funding from entering into a contract or agreement with a media reliability bias monitor. A media reliability bias monitor is any private entity why is rating news organizations on some kind of criteria, whether it be political leanings, misinformation, or disinformation, etc. An example provided in committee was an organization such as NewsGuard. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 723 would clarify that law enforcement in the state can cooperate with law enforcement in bordering states. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 800 would clarify and change several sections of state policy regarding jury service. Some of these changes include administrative directors being appointed to handled remove names of people who have previously served on jury duty, create a list to be provided to their county clerk of which jurors are to be chosen from, and remove the “jury box.” This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.