The House reconvened this evening at 8:45 p.m. to meet for the fourth floor session of the day.

In the House, House Bill 2693, which will require insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders, was passed to the sounds of rejoicing in the chamber gallery.

Additionally 25 other bills completed legislation during session, including House Bill 2888, which will strengthen the protections for whistleblowers of unsafe working conditions in mines.

Additionally, the House passed six bills and communicated them to the Senate for further consideration. Among bills passed was House Bill 2362, which would increase penalties for financial exploitation of an elderly person or incapacitated adult

The House will stand in recess until 11:00 p.m.

The House reconvened this evening to meet for the third floor session of the day.

Seven bills completed legislation during session, including Senate Bill 436, which will provide continuing of personal income tax adjustment to the gross income of certain retirees receiving pensions from defined pension plans that terminated and are being paid a reduced maximum benefit guarantee.

Additionally, the House passed 11 bills and communicated them to the Senate for further consideration. Among bills passed was Senate Bill 465, which would enact the Marcellus Gas and Manufacturing Development Act of 2011–encouraging and facilitating the development of oil and gas wells and the downstream uses of natural gas in this state and economic development in this state associated with production and various downstream uses.

The House will stand in recess until 8:45 p.m.

On this final, 60th day of the 80th Legislature, the House met in a brief morning session before standing in recess.

During session, the House passed eight bills–completing legislation on Senate Bill 366 and Senate Bill 376, which will allow unit owners’ associations to institute legal action against a unit owner for the purpose of collecting dues or assessments that are overdue or in debt to the association.

Additionally, the House received reports from conference committees on two House bills, including House Bill 2879, which would provide a one-time, non-base building, supplemental salary increase for state employees, teachers, service personnel, members of the West Virginia State Police and conservation officers. The House adopted the conference committee report and made it effective from passage.

The conference committee report on House Bill 2464 was also adopted and made it effective July 1, 2011. The bill would add additional requirements to the Ethics Act.

Also, the House adopted House House Resolution 43–commemorating the passing of Jackie Withrow, a woman, wife and states woman of enormous compassion and courage who dedicated her life in service to the most vulnerable of West Virginians.

The following committees will meet today:
Finance – 1 p.m. – 460M

The House will stand in recess until 2:30 p.m.

UPDATE
In the second floor session of the day, four bills passed with House amendments. These bills were sent back to the Senate for consideration.

Of these bills, Senate Bill 391 would authorize rotating community voting locations. Following amendments, the bill was sent back to the Senate to be reviewed.

Senate Bill 408 would provide for a health insurance exchange in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

A bill that would expire funds into the unappropriated surplus balance in the state and general revenue fund. House Bill 3272 was sent back to the Senate pending House amendments.

Additionally, Senate Bill 330 was passed by the House and sent back to the Senate.

The House also appointed conference committees regarding House Bill 2362, House Bill 2663, House Bill 2745 and House Bill 2757 to further discuss the bills.

The House will be in recess until 7 p.m.

This evening, the House of Delegates met, and two bills completed legislation after the House received the messages from the Senate and concurred with its amendments. Those bills were House Bill 2345, which changes the membership of the PEIA Financial Board , House Bill 2763, which prohibits the Executive Director of Workforce West Virginia from billing a reimbursable employer under the unemployment compensation law for overpaid amounts of benefits paid to a claimant, and House Bill 2864, which relates to the creation of a misdemeanor crime of unlawful restraint in the first and second degree.

The House also passed five bills. One of those bills was Senate Bill 614, which would permit specific law-enforcement officials access to certain confidential pharmaceutical information.

Additionally, the House read 26 bills for a second time and advanced them to third reading on tomorrow’s calendar.

The House will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Today in the House, four bills completed the legislative process and after much debate the House passed its version of the Budget Bill.

Each chamber must come up with its own version of the budget bill, which it must submit to the other for consideration. This morning House Bill 2012 , the Budget Bill, was passed through the House and sent to the Senate for further review.

Of the bills that completed legislation, House Bill 2936 will change the dates of canvassing votes in a primary election from the Friday following the primary election to the Monday following the primary election. This bill was sent to the Governor and is awaiting his signature.

A bill that would establish a program and procedure for monitoring the practice of unlicensed personnel administering medication in nursing homes was completed. House Bill 3196 will develop a pilot program that will be conducted by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Personnel Nurses.

Additionally, House Bill 2075 and House Bill 2860 were completed and sent to the Governor.

The following committees will meet today:
Conference Committee regarding House Bill 2464– 3 p.m.- 219E

After a brief recess, the House reconvened to complete legislation on Senate Bill 121 and Senate Bill 461 and are awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 121 will authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a legislative rule relating to requirements governing groundwater standards. Senate Bill 461 will provide a criminal penalty for a violation of a restraining order entered upon a conviction for stalking or harassment.

Additionally, the House passed six bills, which were communicated to the Senate for further consideration. Among bills passed was Senate Bill 242, which would dedicate a portion of the coal severance tax to the county of origin.

The House will stand in brief recess until 5 p.m.

After a brief recess and lengthy floor session, seven bills completed legislation and 18 were advanced to third reading.

Early this morning a motion that required every bill on third reading must be read in its entirety on the floor was submitted.Constitutionally, this motion must be upheld.

Of the bills that completed legislation this evening, Senate Bill 356 will make a captive insurance company that is organized as a risk retention group subject to certain insurance code provisions.

A bill that will update the list of jurisdictions identified as being tax havens was also completed. Senate Bill 371 was sent to the Governor and is awaiting his signature.

Senate Bill 492 will maximize federal funding for Medicaid by establishing a hospital Medicaid upper-level payment program for a two-year period. This bill was completed in committee substitute form and was sent to the Governor for consideration.

Additionally, the remaining pieces of legislation completed this evening are available through the link below.

The House will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.