The Senate confirmed all of the Governor’s appointments during a brief morning floor session that concluded the 3rd Special Session of 2011.
The Senate has adjourned Sine Die.
Senate Confirms Governor’s Appointments, Adjourns Sine Die
Jeffrey V. Kessler Elected Senate President
Senator Jeffrey V. Kessler was elected Senate President Monday evening by 28-5 vote with one senator absent and not voting. Kessler becomes Senate President after serving the Senate for the last 10 months in the role of Acting Senate President. West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Margaret Workman swore him into office on the Senate floor.
Senator Mike Hall received 5 votes as the Republican candidate.
Senator Erik Wells, who is currently on active duty in Afghanistan, cast his voice vote for Kessler electronically.
The Senate Confirmations Committee will meet tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. in the President’s Conference Room.
The Senate will reconvene at 11 a.m. tomorrow
Kirkendoll appointed, sworn in to replace former Senator Tomblin
Former Logan County Commissioner Art Kirkendoll was appointed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to serve the one year remaining on his term in the West Virginia Senate. Governor Tomblin was required to resign his seat in the Senate following his election as Governor.
Kirkendoll was on the Logan County Commission for over 30 years and will represent the 7th Senatorial District, which includes Logan, Boone, Lincoln and Wayne counties as the Junior Senator.
He was sworn in Monday evening as the Senate met in the 3rd Special Session in order to help elect a new Senate President and was joined by his family and other friends in attendance.
Legislature Convenes 3rd Extraordinary Session of 2011
The Legislature convened its 3rd Extraordinary Session of the year at Noon on Sunday to receive the Executive Proclamation, which calls for the certification of election results from the recent special election for Governor.
Concurrent Resolution 301 called the Legislature into a joint assembly in the House Chamber at 12:30 p.m. where they officially certified and published the election results.
The House has adjourned Sine Die
The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow at 6 p.m.
Silver Haired Legislature Returns to the Capital City
The Silver Haired Legislature is meeting October 25–27 in Charleston and came to the Capitol and the House of Delegates Chamber for their annual conference.
The West Virginia Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) is a model legislature, composed of 134 representatives 60 years of age or older, who are elected every two years from throughout the state by their peers. There is a representative in the SHL from each of the state’s 55 counties. Through this program older adults learn about the legislative process and work toward identifying solutions to common problems facing the state.
Representatives from the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates both addressed the group during their conference.
House Passes Redistricting Bill
This morning, the House reconvened to consider action on House Bill 201 , which reapportions the House of Delegates districts. After much debate on proposed amendments, the House passed the bill as amended.
The House also completed legislative action on Senate Bill 2001, which expires funds from Department of Revenue, Lottery Commission – Revenue Center Construction Fund, to Department of Transportation, Division of Highways and Senate Bill 2002, which supplements, amends and increases items from the State Road Fund to Department of Transportation, Division of Highways.
The House is adjourned until 7 p.m. tomorrow evening
House Advances Redistricting Bill to Third Reading
During today’s floor session, the House received Senate messages and advanced two bills to 2nd Reading. Those bills were Senate Bill 2001, which expires funds from the Department of Revenue, Lottery Commission – Revenue Center Construction Fund, to the Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, and
Senate Bill 2002, which supplements, amends and increases item from State Road Fund to Department of Transportation, Division of Highways.
The House also advanced House Bill 201, which reapportions the House of Delegates district to 3rd Reading with amendments pending and the right to amend.
The House is adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Legislature Convenes For 2nd Extraordinary Session of 2011
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.
Legislature Adjourns Sine Die
Tonight, the work of the 1st Special Session of the 80th Legislature was completed and both the House and Senate adjourned Sine Die.
A total of nine bills completed legislative action including, House Bill 106, which reapportions the House of Delegates districts, Senate Bill 1006, which reapportions the state senatorial districts, and Senate Bill 1008, which reapportions the congressional districts.
Also completing legislative action was Senate Bill 1001, which reduces consumers sales and service tax on food and food ingredients, 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.
Three supplemental appropriation bills were also passed during the special session. They were Senate Bill 1004, which makes supplementary appropriations of unappropriated moneys to various accounts, Senate Bill 1005, which supplements,amends and increases appropriations to Department of Transportation, and Senate Bill 1007, which makes a supplementary appropriation of unappropriated moneys to Secretary of State.
All bills passed by the Legislature now goes to the Governor’s Office for further approval.