House Honors Wounded Warrior Advocate
At the start of today’s session, the House honored Spencer resident, Drew Miller, who ran from Long Beach, California to Spencer, West Virginia to raise money and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project.
In addition, five other bills were passed on the House floor today, including House Bill 4125, which would amend the date of annual notice to parents and guardians of students at school and alert them to the existence of the school’s crisis response plan. House Bill 4291, which determines the appropriate number of law libraries being used in the state, was also passed on the floor.
In addition, Senate Bill 165 was advanced to third reading today. Senate Bill 165 would make sexual contact between incarcerated people and correctional officers a criminal offense.
The following meetings will be held this afternoon:
Political Subdivision- 1 p.m.- 215E
Energy, Industry, Labor and Economic Development- 1 p.m.- 460M
Roads and Transportation- 2 p.m.- 215E
House Constitutional Revision- 2 p.m.- 410M
Health and Human Resources- 4 p.m.- 215E
Senior Issues- 3 p.m.- 215E
The following committees will meet tomorrow morning:
Finance- 9 a.m.- 460M
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.
OPEB Bill Passes Senate
During today’s floor session six bills passed in the Senate. Among those bills was Senate Bill 469, relating to other post employment-benefits. This bill would create a plan to fund the state portion of the health care benefits to for state retirees. This will potentially eliminate the remaining $5 billion unfunded liability. This bill includes a multi part provision. These provisions include a plan which will take $35 million a year from personal income tax collections. Under the proposal, $30 million a year would go into a fund to pay down the remaining $5 billion of long-term OPEB liability. Another $5 million a year would go into a trust fund to assist employees hired after July 1, 2010. The bill would also systematize that the PEIA Director annually report to the Legislature as well as administer programs in a way that would reduce system costs. The bill now heads to the House for its consideration.
In addition to the passage of the OPEB bill, 10 bills were introduced. Among them was Senate Bill 477, which would limit the possession of wild and exotic animals.
The following committees will meet today:
Finance 3 P.M. – 451M
Judiciary 3 P.M. – 208W
Natural Resources 1 P.M. – 208W
The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Finance 9:30 A.M. – 451M
The Senate is adjourned until 11 A.M. tomorrow.
Mine Safety Bill Introduced in House
Senate Bill 165 was read on the House floor today, which would prohibit correctional officers from engaging in sexual acts with prisoners who are incarcerated, or on parole or probation.
Several bills were read on second reading today including House Bill 4103, which would consolidate enforcement of laws and government services in relation to the motor carrier industry, and House Bill 4291, which would determine the appropriate number and locations of law libraries in operation.
There were 14 bills introduced in the House. House Bill 4351 relates to mine safety and protection of “whistle-blowers,” and House Bill 4356 would make it a misdemeanor to cause bodily injury to a child as a result of neglect.
The following meetings will be held this afternoon:
Judiciary- 1:00 p.m.- 410
Government Organization- 1:00 p.m.- 215E
Finance- 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.- 460
The following committees will meet tomorrow morning:
Veteran’s Affairs & Homeland Security- 9:00 a.m.- 460
Natural Resources- 9:15 a.m.- 215E
Banking & Insurance- 10:00 a.m.- 215E
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Senate Passes Two Bills
Two bills passed the Senate today, including Senate Bill 202 which would permit the Division of Forestry to enter into stewardship contracts with U. S. Forest Service. Senate Bill 331 also passed this afternoon. This bill would provide notice and the ability to be heard during certain criminal and parole hearings to persons who have resided with a victim for at least one year prior to the crime.
Five bills were read for a second time today. One is Senate Bill 382, which deals with the registration of sex offenders. Senate Bill 167 was also read for a second time, and it would authorize counties and municipalities accept credit or check card as payment.
There were 11 bills introduced today, including Senate Bill 462which relates to domestic violence proceedings and protective orders.
The following committees will meet today:
Judiciary 3 P.M. – 208W
Education 2 P.M. – 451M
Finance 3 P.M. – 451M
Government Organization 1 P.M. – 451M
The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Labor 9 A.M. – 208W
The Senate is adjourned until 11 A.M. tomorrow.
House Passes Two Bills in Afternoon Session
Two bills were passed in the House today including House Bill 4107 which will provide for online training of firefighters as well as provide proper safety equipment, and House Bill 4250, which relates to the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act.
House Bill 4060 was read on second reading today, and would prohibit correctional officers from engaging in sexual acts with prisoners who are incarcerated, or on parole or probation.
There were four bills read on first reading today. One of which was House Bill 4103, which would consolidate enforcement of laws and government services in relation to the motor carrier industry.
In addition, the House introduced 14 bills. House Bill 4337 would make it a misdemeanor to deny a rightful heir possession of civil war medals, and House Bill 4345 would involve prohibiting the unauthorized sale of railroad scrap metal.
The following meetings will be held this afternoon:
Finance- 1:30 p.m.- 460
Judiciary- 2:00 p.m.- 410
Health and Human Resources- 4:00 p.m.- 215E
The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Judiciary Subcommittee- 9:30 a.m.
Government Organization- 1:30 p.m.- 215E
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Jason Flatt Act Passes Senate
In this afternoon’s floor session the Senate passed six bills and introduced 11. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 14, which honors Pineville Volunteer Fire Department for their heroic actions while saving the life of Marcia McKinney, who was trapped on the second story of the fully engulfed house.
Of the bills passed, one is Senate Bill 221, which would create the Jason Flatt Act of 2012. The bill would require the Center for Professional Development to provide routine education of all professional educators and certain service personnel on warning signs and resource for suicide prevention.
Of the bills introduced, Senate Bill 452,would create the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Act. The bill would require voter approval to increase governmental spending or debt and that summaries of ballot issues be mailed to voters.
The following committees will meet today:
Finance 3 P.M. – 451M
Judiciary 3 P.M. – 208W
Agriculture 2 P.M. – 451M
Pensions and Retirement 2 P.M. – 208W
The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Economic Development 9 A.M. – 451M
Transportation and Infrastructure 10 A.M. – 451M
The Senate is adjourned until 11 A.M.
House Welcomes Capito, Passes Two Bills
At the start of today’s session, Delegate Armstead welcomed Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito to the the floor. Following that, the House went on to regular business and passed two bills.
House Bill 4238 will establish procedures for participants on the special absentee voting list, and House Bill 4251, relates to the amendment of the uniform commercial code.
Two bills were advanced to third reading, including House Bill 4107, which is in regards to firefighter training, and House Bill 4250, which would create the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act.
House Bill 4060, which prohibits sexual acts between people who are incarcerated, on parole, or on probation and correctional officers, was advanced to second reading.
A total of 15 bills were introduced, including House Bill 4236, which would seek to suspend or eliminate the federal gas tax, and House Bill 4330, which would designate a person’s status as an honorably discharged veteran on his or her drivers license.
The House is adjourned until Monday at 1:00 p.m.
Senate Reads Six Bills for Second Time
In this afternoons floor session, the Senate read six bills for the second time.
The bills included Senate Bill 161, which would make it mandatory to report child abuse or neglect. The bill would also increase penalties for those who do not report it.
Also read this afternoon was Senate Bill 165, which would create a criminal offense for sexual contact on incarcerated persons by correctional employees, regardless of consent.
Another bill that was read for the second time is Senate Bill 209, which would substitute community service for confinement in jail for persons who are under the age of twenty-one and purchases, consumes, sells, serves or possesses alcoholic liquor. This bill would also to apply to those who misrepresents his or her age to purchase alcoholic liquor.
A final bill that was read was Senate Bill 210, which would make West Virginia law consistent with federal law with regards to withholding of personal income tax on gambling winnings.
The Senate is adjourned until 1 P.M. on Monday.