This afternoon, both the House and the Senate convened for the 2nd Special Session of the year in order to receive the Executive Proclamation that calls for correcting the House of Delegate’s original redistricting bill, House Bill 106, that was passed during the 1st Special Session. The bill was vetoed by the Acting Governor earlier this week due to technical flaws. The House introduced and read a first time, House Bill 201, relating to the reapportioning the House of Delegates districts.

The Senate introduced two supplemental appropriations that were placed on the Amended Executive Proclamation. Those bills introduced were Senate Bill 2001, which expires funds to balance of Department of Transportation, and Senate Bill 2002, which supplements, amends, and increases appropriation to the Department of Transportation.

The Senate is in recess until 2:30 p.m. this afternoon.
The House is adjourned until 5 p.m. tomorrow, August, 19.

UPDATE

The Senate passed two appropriation bills during an afternoon floor session. Senate Bill 2001 expires funds to the balance of the Department of Transportation, and Senate Bill 2002, supplements, amends, and increases appropriation to the Department of Transportation. These bills will now head to the House for consideration.

The Senate is now in recess while the House works on its redistricting bill.

The Senate will reconvene on Sunday at 6 p.m.

The House of Delegates met today at Noon to begin debating amendments on 2nd Reading regarding House Bill 106, which seeks to reapportion the House of Delegates districts. An amendment offered to configure members into 100 single member Delegate Districts was voted down prior to members taking a recess.

Other bills on 2nd Reading were advanced to third reading without amendments. These included two supplemental bills, House Bill 104 and House Bill 105 and House Bill 102 which would clarify the authorization of the Higher Education Policy Commission to sell, lease or convey property and to designate where proceeds are to be deposited.

The House also received Senate messages concerning the passage of six bills from that body, took the bills up for immediate consideration and read them a first time. They included Senate Bill 1001 which would gradually reduce the food tax, Senate Bill 1002 which allocates a portion of the coal severance tax to the county from which the coal was mined,and Senate Bill 1003 which clarifies the requirement for deposit and transfer of higher education proceeds from real property.

The following supplemental appropriation bills were also received by the House and read a first time: Senate Bill 1004, Senate Bill 1005, Senate Bill 1007

The House stands in recess until 3:15 p.m. today

Following a recess, members reconvened and advanced two bills to third reading with amendments pending and a limited right to amend for both. Those bills were: House Bill 106, which seeks to reapportion the House of Delegates districts and, Senate Bill 1006, which reapportions Senate districts.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, August 5th, 2011 at 12:00 p.m.

UPDATE: House Floor Session for Friday, August 5th, 2011 is delayed until 3:00 p.m.