The Committee on Health and Human Resources met this afternoon.

House Bill 4874 updates the composition and authority of the Fatality and Mortality Review Team. The amended bill advances.

House Bill 4756 creates a council to establish a state Alzheimer’s Plan.

House Bill 4795 creates an exemption for CON and permits an academic medical center to operate an opioid treatment facility.

The remained of the committee’s agenda was 15 rules bills: House Bills 4121, 4122, 4123, 4124, 4125, 4126, 4133, 4137, 4144, 4145, 4146, 4147, 4148, 4149, and 4150.

The House Technology and Infrastructure Committee met this afternoon to consider the following:

House Bill 4434 prohibits state agencies and local government units from restricting the sale or use of motor vehicles based on the energy sources used to power the vehicles. It does not prohibit the agencies from buying any type of vehicle but prohibits them from making policy restrictions. The bill does have a committee amendment which includes other equipment using motors. The bill advances to the Committee on Government Organization.

House Bill 4764 requires the DMV to allow the purchase of one-trip special permits for a new motor vehicle dealer to be made and paid online. The committee substitute places the bill into Code 17a-7-2, as the current bill form has it in the wrong section. The bill would help car buyers/dealers legally and efficiently get these temporary plates for vehicle purchasing.

House Bill 4766 creates a new section of code that addresses road closures. The bill requires signage for road closures to be posted 30 days prior to closure if the closure will last more than 30 days and the detour is longer than one mile. There is an exemption for emergency closures.

The Commissioner of DOT expressed concerns about signs being up that long, as that can cause drivers to get comfortable with signs being out with no work being done leading to speeding. This would put workers at risk. Another concern with the bill is there is no language relating to the specifications of the signage in size, color, and font. There are federal regulations on interstate signage. He suggested another form of notification would be better than a roadside sign. Signage is planned out in the development phase months or even years in advance.

The bill sponsor brought up electric signage was added to a project in his county, and it was helpful. He wonders if this can be done 30 days in advance. He stated the bill was intentionally vague on signage specifications so that the division could comply with federal regulations.

Other proponents of the bill believe signage can help people prepare for alternative works and make plans. The committee substitute was advanced.

The House Judiciary settled in for a lengthy meeting this afternoon with five bills being discussed.

House Bill 4595 updates the authority of LOCHHRA. The bill allows for executive sessions to be entered for the commission for specific investigations and presentations. The bill was amended to add in the specific instances the commission can go into an executive session. CPS, APS, Nursing Home Abuse, and Hospital Abuse were among the situations that were specified. The amended bill advances to the floor.

House Bill 4621 prohibits the release of mug shots of persons arrested for a crime unless that person is convicted of the crime. The amended bill advances to the House floor. The amended bill advances to the floor.

House Bill 4627 updates the way DNA is maintained by law enforcement in WV. The bill requires DNA testing of all convicted of felonies and certain misdemeanors. The bill requires testing of qualified arrestees on intake. The bill authorizes expungement for qualified arrestees in certain circumstances. The bill advances.

House Bill 4666 increases criminal penalties for human trafficking. The bill would make the felony penalty a determinate sentence of 15 to 40 years for trafficking an adult. If found guilty of trafficking a minor, the felony penalty would be a determinate sentence of 25 to 100 years. For forced labor, the penalty would be a determinate sentence of 15 to 40 years for using an adult and 25 to 100 years for using a minor. For using an adult or minor in debt bondage, the determinate sentence would be 15 to 40 years. For sexual servitude of an adult, the penalty will be 25 years with no maximum. For sexual servitude of a minor, the penalty for the class 1 felony would be 50 years with no maximum. For patronizing a victim of sexual servitude, the penalty is 25 to 100 years if the victim is an adult. If the victim a minor, the penalty is 50 years with no maximum. Individuals must serve at least half of their sentence and if the victim is a minor, then the convicted individual would not be eligible for parole. The bill advances to the floor.

House Bill 4683 requires parents or guardians to participate in programs for juveniles in an out-of-home placement provided there is not a court finding that said participation is not in the best interest of the juvenile. The bill advances to the floor.

House Bill 4675 was pulled from the agenda.

During the meeting for the Committee on Prevention of Substance Abuse, the committee heard a presentation from the Office of Drug Control.

Naloxone, the overdose reversal drug, distribution has increased. It’s available in various agencies and organizations across the state. The Office of Drug Policy organizes “Safe A Life Day,” where the state is saturated with Naloxone in a day. Last year, the Office recruited 13 states to take part in the day and over 45,000 doses were distributed in these states in one day. Naloxone is available in schools, as there have been increases in overdoses for individuals under 19.

In 2019, over 1,000 individuals were diverted from jails and into treatment facilities. In 2020, a program with the State Police allows individuals to surrender drug paraphernalia and get fast-tracked into treatment.

Another program, Police and Peers provides workload sharing between police and peer recovery support specialists of nonviolent substance abuse cases.

Quick Response teams are working with EMS to respond to overdoses efficiently.

Family Treatment Courts keep families intact. The state has 13 Family Treatment Courts with 153 graduates and positively impacted more than 194 children.

The Committee also advanced House Bill 4429. House Bill 4429 exempts test strips as drug paraphernalia.

The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing met this afternoon.

House Bill 4292 provides for enhanced damages for nonpayment of royalties due from oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids production under the terms of lease or other agreements. This bill was introduced last year but did not make it through the second committee. The bill advanced to the Judiciary Committee.

The remainder of the bills on the agenda are rules bills. All the bills were advanced to the House Judiciary.

House Bill 4086 authorizes the Division of Forestry to create a legislative rule relating to sediment control during commercial timber-harvesting operations – licensing. The bill is to update the rule to match code changes.

House Bill 4087 authorizes the Division of Forestry to create a legislative rule relating to sediment control during commercial timber-harvesting operations – logger certification. The bill is to update the rule to match code changes.

House Bill 4033 authorizes the DEP to create a legislative rule relating to ambient air quality standards. The rule update is to match federal standards.

House Bill 4035 authorizes the DEP to create a legislative rule relating to standards of performance for new stationary sources.

House Bill 4037 authorizes the DEP to create a legislative rule relating to emission standards for hazardous air pollutants.

House Bill 4038 authorizes the DEP to create a legislative rule relating to the control of greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired electric utility generating units.

House Bill 4040 authorizes the DEP to create a rule relating to hazardous waste management systems.

House Bill 4041 authorizes the DEP to create a rule relating to the administration of the Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund and safe drinking water set-asides.