Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
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Senate Honors Veterans with Resolutions and Legislation

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The Senate honored local heroes this morning as they reconvened and passed five bills and introduced 10.

The Senate first honored local hero Melquan Brown, a high school student who saved a girl who had fallen through the ice of a pond, by adopting Senate Resolution 22. Brown attends Capitol High School in Charleston.

They then honored West Virginian military veterans with the adoption of Senate Resolution 23, which declared today Veteran’s Visibility Day, and Senate Resolution 24, which honored World War II veterans.

The senators were joined in the chamber by 21 West Virginia veterans.

They passed five bills, the first of which being Senate Bill 38, which would create a West Virginia Servicemembers Civic Relief Act. This bill would put the federal Servicemembers Civic Relief Act into state law.

The other four bills the Senate passed include: Senate Bill 218, which would provide early parole for certain non-violent inmates, Senate Bill 236, which would create an Aquaculture Development Act, Senate Bill 397, which would create a single dwelling residential housing index, and Senate Bill 436, which would replace Latin with the English equivalent in a portion of West Virginia Code.

Four bills will be in third reading tomorrow, including Senate Bill 89, Senate Bill 354, Senate Bill 382, and Senate Bill 391.

The Senate continued to honor veterans with the introduction of Senate Bill 574. This bill would establish December 7 as a special Memorial Day.

The following committees will meet today:

Natural Resouces-1 p.m. 208W
Pensions-2 p.m. 208W
Finance-3 p.m. 451M
Judiciary-3 p.m. 208W

The following committees will meet tomorrow:


Transportation and Infrastructure, hearing on snow removal and emergency response-9 a.m. 451M
Government Organization-10 a.m. 208W
Health and Human Resources-1 p.m. 451M
Education-2 p.m. 451M
Banking and Insurance-2 p.m. 208W
Finance-3 p.m. 451M
Judiciary-3 p.m. 208W


The Senate will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.

House Passes Five Bills, Honors State Veterans

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The House reconvened to unanimously pass five bills, including House Bill 4179, which would remove the termination date of the Equal Pay Commission. In addition, House Bill 4220 advanced to third reading and six bills advanced to second reading.

Sixteen bills were introduced in the House, including House Bill 4498, which would prohibit smoking in the capitol building and all offices.

The House also established Feb. 15, 2010 as Veterans Visibility Day through the adoption of House Resolution 21. Various veterans were present to receive the resolution.

The following committees will meet today:
Judiciary-1 p.m.-410M
Finance-1:30 p.m.-460M

Health and Human Resources-4 p.m.-215E
Roads and Transportation-4:30 p.m.-460M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Judiciary-9 a.m.-410M

The House will reconvene 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Senate Finishes Another Week

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The Senate convened for a quick Friday session this morning and read six bills on second reading, as well as introduced 21 bills.

Bills on second reading included Senate Bill 38, Senate Bill 218, Senate Bill 236, Senate Bill 391, Senate Bill 397 and Senate Bill 436.

The bills introduced included Senate Bill 552, which would create an Office of Child Advocacy, Senate Bill 558, which would create neighborhood watch programs and Senate Bill 567, which would create the Nonprofit Adventure and Recreational Responsibility Act.

The following committees will meet Monday:
Transportation and Infrastructure-10 a.m. 451M
Natural Resources-1 p.m. 208W
Pensions-2 p.m. 208W
Finance-3 p.m. 451M
Judiciary-3 p.m. 208W

The Senate will reconvene Monday at 11 a.m.

House Introduces 31 Bills, Moves Five to Third Reading

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Five bills advanced to third reading as the House reconvened. These bills were part of Friday’s special calendar and include House Bill 4179, which would remove the termination date of the Equal Pay Commission.

The House named six bridges through the adoption of House concurrent resolutions and also introduced 31 bills, including House Bill 4472, which would prohibit the use of of a mobile communication device to engage in text messaging or additional technologies while operating a motor vehicle, and House Bill 4479, which would establish a bill of rights for children in foster care.

Students from the Pre-K Public Employees Day Care Center led the House in the Pledge of Allegiance and entertained delegates through the singing of two songs, including “Country Roads.”

The following committees will meet Monday:
Finance-9:15 a.m.-460M
Health and Human Resources-4 p.m.-215E
Roads and Transportation-4:30 p.m.-410M

The House will reconvene at 10:45 a.m. Monday.

Tourism Day Attracts Statewide Exhibits

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Tourism and entertainment sites from all over the state flocked to the capitol to show what makes West Virginia “wild and wonderful.”

Pictured are three participating exhibits from Sculpted Air, Tasty Blend Foods, Inc., and Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Sculpted Air by Dizzy Doc is a professional entertainment business that takes the art of balloon animals to the next level. Dizzy Doc has been a balloon artist for 17 years and this marks his third year at the capitol. Today, he sculpted a balloon heart in honor of Valentine’s Day, but his largest piece was a model of the New River Gorge Bridge, which took him 48 hours to complete. He has also made a replica of the State Capitol, which stood at 22 and a half feet tall and 33 feet wide.

Tasty Blend Foods, Inc., is a company based in Fraziers Bottom, W.Va. Sales Manager Homer Combs presented samples of prepared mixes from his company. They have several food mixes available ranging from biscuit mix to mashed potatoes to desserts.

The Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau also had an exhibit to showcase tourism in their area. Places such as the Hatfield-McCoy Trail, the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and the New River Gorge Bridge are just a few examples of what tourists and residents of the state can engage in.

Many other attractions were also featured throughout the capitol, creating a cornucopia of tourism opportunities.

Five House Bills Moved to Second Reading

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The House of Delegates reconvened on the 30th day of session to introduce 21 bills. These bills include House Bill 4438, which would create a commission to develop a pilot program to help at-risk youth in West Virginia, and House Bill 4446, which would re-categorize recycled energy as a renewable energy resource.

Five bills also progressed to second reading, including House Bill 4179, which would remove the termination date of the Equal Pay Commission, and House Bill 4355, which would make it a felony offense to disarm or attempt to disarm probation officers and parole officers.

The following committees will meet today:
Finance-1 p.m.-460M
Judiciary-1 p.m.-410M
Government Organization-1:30 p.m.-215E

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Government Organization-10 a.m.-215E

The House will reconvene 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Senate Passes Bill Re-categorizing Recycled Energy as a Renewable Resource

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The Senate reconvened this morning and passed two bills after introducing 15.

The bills passed included Senate Bill 350, which would include energy produced from exhaust heat, waste gas and electricity extracted from a pressure drop in gas to the list of renewable energy resources, and Senate Bill 405, which would allow the Department of Environmental Protection to issue legislative rules relating to oil wells, gas wells and other wells.

The introduced bills included Senate Bill 541, which would increase penalties for passing a stopped school bus, Senate Bill 544, which would require death certificates to legibly state the cause of death, and Senate Bill 545, which would create a Drunk Driving Victim’s Compensation Fund, among others.

The following committees will meet today:
Health and Human Resources-1 p.m. 451M
Judiciary-2:45 p.m. 208W
Finance-3 p.m. 451M

The following committee will meet tomorrow:
Economic Development-9 a.m. 451M

The Senate will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Senate Passes Three Bills; Honors Marshall University

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As the Senate reconvened this morning, members were greeted by the sounds of the Marshall University Fife and Drum Corps. The corps members played three songs, including a rousing rendition of Yankee Doodle Dandee.

Highlighting the Session was the passage of three bills. Senate Bill 380 would expand animal fighting prohibitions, Senate Bill 420 which would deny certain retired troopers from carrying handguns. Also passed this morning was Senate Bill 499 which would change the name of certain community and technical colleges.

Senate Bill 350 was advanced to third reading. If passed this bill would recategorize recycled energy as renewable energy resource. Additionally, Senate Bill 436 was advanced to second reading. If passed this bill would update language relating to process of incorporation.

Members also adopted Senate Resolution 20 designating today as Marshall University Day at the State Capitol.

The following committees will meet today:


Education-2 p.m. 451M
Banking-2 p.m. 208W
Judiciary-3 p.m. 208W
Finance-3 p.m. 451M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:


Energy-10 a.m. 208W
Government Organization-2 p.m. 208W


The Senate will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.

House Votes to Increase Penalties for Selling Tobacco to Minors

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The House reconvened today at 11 a.m. and passed House Bill 2773.

The bill would increase monetary penalties for selling tobacco products to minors. First-time offenders would be fined $100 for violating the law, currently the fine is $25.

Four additional bills were passed. Bills passed include House Bill 4134,which would remove non-utilized code sections, and House Bill 4194, which would incorporate the Division of Criminal Justice Services into the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. House Bill 4128 relates to insurance companies deemed to be in hazardous financial condition and House Bill 4247 would provide counties the discretion to accompany an electronic poll book with a printed poll book.

Also, House Resolution 20 was adopted naming Wednesday, February 10, 2010 “Marshall University Day.” Several leaders from Marshall University, along with school mascot Marco, were present to receive the resolution. Delegates participated by wearing green attire.

The following committees will meet today:
Roads and Transportation- 2 p.m. 215E
Health and Human Resources- 4:30 p.m. 215E

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Judiciary- 9 a.m. 410M
Government Organization- 1:30 p.m. 215E

THe House will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.