This morning, the House passed two bills.

House Bill 4274 renames the DHHR in various sections of code to the three succeeding departments, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of Health Facilities. It also renames bureaus with name changes. The bill also updates some outdated language. The chair clarified no policy changes were made as this bill affects several sections of code. It is only name changes and code clean-up.

House Bill 4433 exempts mobile facilities using mammography or tomography from certificate of need for operations. These services screen for cancer. By removing the CON, the hope is to provide these services to diagnose cancer before it reaches a higher stage.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

Finance Committee Budget Hearings for January and February are on the Legislature’s Homepage.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, January 18, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Today
The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460 for budget hearings and will meet immediately after.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow Jan. 18
The Committee on Jails and Prisons will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
The Committee on Seniors, Children, and Families will meet at 9:15 a.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Fire Departments and EMS will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Economic Development will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.

Today in the House of Delegates House Bill 4274 was amended.

House Bill 4274 amends sections of the Code referring to the Department of Health and Human Resources to reflect the three new departments. Bureaus with renaming are also changed.

House Bill 4433 was on second reading as well. On first reading today, House Bills 4190 and 4252 advanced to second.

House Bill 4190 establishes an alert system for missing cognitively impaired persons. The bill allows for the use of video recordings for search purposes during a Purple Alert. The bill provides notice and broadcasting of a Purple Alert. It sets forth criteria for the activation of a Purple Alert. The bill provides immunity for individuals providing information pursuant to a Purple Alert in good faith.

House Bill 4252 creates a framework by which Canadian domestic violence orders can be recognized, registered, enforced by law enforcement, and enforced by the courts of West Virginia.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, January 17, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Today
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Economic Development and Tourism will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow Jan. 16
The Committee on the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Artificial Intelligence will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 434.
The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460 for budget hearings and will meet immediately after. The Budget Hearing Calendar can be found here.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon.

House Bill 4759 requires employers to use E-Verify to verify the legal employment status of all persons who come into their employment and to report their employment to the appropriate governmental agencies. The bill defines “E-Verify” as the electronic verification of the federal employment authorization program of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

E-Verify is used by thousands of employers across the US on a voluntary basis. This bill would make it a requirement. The bill heads to the Judiciary Committee next.

The Committee had several bills authorizing agencies to create various rules. The 19 bills below will advance to the Judiciary Committee.

House Bill 4088 authorizes the Division of Labor to create legislative rules relating to minimum wage, maximum hours, and overtime compensation.

House Bill 4089 authorizes the Division of Labor to create a legislative rule relating to the licensing of elevator mechanics, accessibility technicians, and limited technicians and the registration of elevator mechanic apprentices.

House Bill 4104 authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to create a legislative rule relating to motor vehicle titling.

House Bill 4105 authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to create a legislative rule relating to dealer licensing.

House Bill 4106 authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to create a legislative rule relating to handicapped parking permits.

House Bill 4110 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Accountancy to create a legislative rule relating to board rules and rules of professional conduct.

House Bill 4111 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Acupuncture to create a legislative rule relating to applications for licensure to practice acupuncture. The bill advances to the Judiciary Committee.

House Bill 4118 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists to create a legislative rule relating to procedures, criteria, and curricula for the examination and license of barbers, cosmetologists, nail technicians, aestheticians, and hair stylists.

House Bill 4119 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists to create a legislative rule relating to the application for waiver of initial licensure fees for certain individuals.

House Bill 4120 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists to create a legislative rule relating to cosmetology apprenticeship.

House Bill 4130 authorizes the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board to create a legislative rule relating to general provisions.

House Bill 4131 authorizes the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board to create a legislative rule relating to the schedule of fees.

House Bill 4132 authorizes the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board to create a legislative rule relating to establishment licensure.

House Bill 4151 authorizes the Board of Professional Surveyors to create a legislative rule relating to the examination and licensing of professional surveyors in West Virginia.

House Bill 4152 authorizes the Board of Examiners of Psychologists to create a legislative rule relating to disciplinary and complaint procedures for psychologists.

House Bill 4153 authorizes the Board of Examiners of Psychologists to create a legislative rule relating to contested case hearing procedures.

House Bill 4154 authorizes the West Virginia Real Estate Commission to create a legislative rule relating to licensing real estate brokers, associate brokers, and salespersons and the conduct of brokerage business.

House Bill 4155 authorizes the West Virginia Real Estate Commission to create a legislative rule relating to the schedule of fees.

House Bill 4156 authorizes the West Virginia Real Estate Commission to create a legislative rule relating to requirements for real estate courses, course providers, and instructors.

The House of Delegates gaveled in for the first full week of session at 11 a.m.

Twenty-eight bills were received from the Senate and assigned to House Committees.

Two House Bills were read for the first time.

House Bill 4190 renames the DHHR into the three succeeding departments throughout code. The bill also renames any bureaus with name changes.

House Bill 4252 exempts mobile facilities which perform mammograms and low density computerized tomogram from certificate of need.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, January 16, 2023 at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Today
The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460 for Budget Hearings from the Agriculture Department and Supreme Court.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow Jan. 16
The Committee on Veterans and Homeland Security will meet at 9:15 a.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Economic Development will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.