Thursday, July 10, 2025
Thursday, July 10, 2025
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Delegate Thomas Clark Takes Oath of Office

This Morning, Thomas C. Clark was sworn into the House of Delegates by Judge Alsop of the 14th Judicial District. Clark was appointed by Governor Justice to fill the vacancy created by Caleb Hanna’s resignation.

Clark is retired from the US Department of Mine, Safety and Health Administration. He also owned the newspaper in Webster County. Until his appointment, Clark was a member of the Webster County Commission.

Clark said he accepted the appointment because the area needs representation. He had filed to run for the 48th District seat in the upcoming election.

Delegate Clark represents the 48th District, which includes Webster County, the Eastern part of Nicolas County, and the Northwestern Part of Greenbrier County.

Accompanying Delegate Clark as he took the oath of office was his wife – Terry, daughter – Stephanie, his son-in-law, three granddaughters, two sisters, and brother-in-law. Justice Haley Bunn was in attendance along with delegates Householder, Statler, Willis, Barnhart, Adkins, Ferrell, and Speaker Hanshaw.

Senate Passes 31 Bills Friday Morning

The Senate passed 31 bills during Friday morning’s floor session.

All of the legislation passed today were measures that passed the Senate overwhelmingly during the 2023 session but failed to complete legislative action in the House of Delegates.

Senate bills 301-443 were introduced today.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Jan. 15, at 11 a.m.

House Announces Monday Committee Meetings

The House of Delegates convened briefly to receive committee reports this morning.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until Monday, January 15, 2023 at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Monday, Jan. 15
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, Tuesday, Jan. 16
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.

House Judiciary Advances Two Bills in Morning Meeting

The House Judiciary Committee met this morning. Three bills were up for consideration.

House Bill 4190 establishes an alert system for missing cognitively impaired persons, called a Purple Alert. The bill provides for the use of video recordings to be used for search purposes. The effect date would be 2025. The committee substitute advances to the House Floor.

House Bill 4250 establishes the crime of torture. The penalty would be a determinate sentence of not less than 15 years. Torture is defined as a person using cruel or extreme physical or mental pain and suffering, serious bodily injury, or severe mental pain or suffering another person while within his or her custody or physical control. Other definitions are clarified as well. The bill was referred to a subcommittee.

House Bill 4252 creates the framework to recognize, register, and enforce Canadian Domestic Violence Orders. The bill advances to the floor.

Senate Honors Life of Marilyn Kay Parsons

The Senate met at 4 p.m. this afternoon to adopt HCR13, Commemorating the life of Marilyn Kay Parsons.

Marilyn was on born October 20, 1949 in Sissonville, WV and passed on December 22, 2023 at Hubbard House in Charleston, WV. In between, she dedicated more than 40 years of her life to public service to the state of West Virginia.

Marilyn began her career in state government as an executive assistant to Governor Arch A. Moore Jr., and also served for a time on the Republican State Executive Committee.

However, the majority of her work life was spent in the Legislature, where she served in leadership roles for five Minority Leaders and two Speakers in the 38 years she worked for the House of Delegates. In 2021, Marilyn assumed her final leadership role for Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley, 13).

Several Senators who served previously in the House of Delegates stood and gave eloquent remembrances of Marilyn. She was described as a selfless public servant that was the first to arrive in the morning and who would not leave her office until every member had departed for the day.

Marilyn had a remarkable understanding of the legislative process. Her writing and editing skills were second to none. She also possessed a quick comprehension of complicated subjects, all the while never seeking credit for these contributions to the Legislature’s work.

No job was too big or small for Marilyn. From sewing member’s clothing, to dispensing advice, or lending a kind ear to the problems of members, lobbyists, and staff alike, her personality was a breath of fresh air to all in her orbit under the Capitol dome. 

Simply put, Marilyn was the gold-standard of legislative employee. She will be missed by all those fortunate to know her and work with her.

A memorial will be held in Marilyn’s honor tonight at 5 p.m. at the Culture Center.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Jan. 12, at 9 a.m.

 

House Health Advances Four Bills in First Meeting

The Committee on Health and Human Resources held its first meeting of the Legislative Session. The Committee took up and advanced four bills.

House Bill 4274 renames the DHHR as three separate departments: the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of Health Facilities, along with some of the bureaus within these departments through various sections of code. The bill advances to the House Floor.

House Bill 4595 allows LOCHHRA to have closed-door executive sessions for reviewing investigations and questioning witnesses. If a witness desires a public hearing, they request an open hearing. The bill will go to Judiciary next.

House Bill 4593 requires WV First Foundation to comply with the Open Governmental Proceedings Act and the Freedom of Information Act. The bill heads to the Judiciary Committee.

House Bill 4433 allows for mobile health facilities to perform mammography or low-density computerized tomography. The bill advances to the Judiciary Committee.

Senate Honors Donna Boley’s Long, Distinguished Service

The Senate adopted SR2 on Thursday morning, recognizing the dedicated public service of the Honorable Donna J. Boley (R-Pleasants, 03).

Boley was appointed by Gov. Arch A, Moore Jr. to fill a vacancy in the Senate on May 14, 1985. Since her election to that unexpired term in 1986, Boley has gone on to win re-election nine times and is currently the longest continually serving state Senator in West Virginia history.

From 1990 to 1996, Boley was Senate Minority Leader. In 1991 and 1992, she was also the only Republican in the 34-member Senate, making her the minority chairwoman for every Senate committee.

Multiple members gave remarks on the Senate floor Thursday lauding Boley’s service, dedication, leadership, friendship and mentorship.

Also on Thursday, the Senate read all but four bills on its calendar a second time. Senate bills 145, 167 and 180 were referred to the Finance committee on second reading, while Senate bill 152 was referred to the Education committee on second reading.

The Senate is in recess until 4 p.m.

Senate Finance will meet at 2 p.m. in 451M.

House Remembers Marilyn Kay Parsons

Today was Day Two of the 2024 session.

House Concurrent Resolution 13 was introduced and taken up for immediate consideration. HCR 13 commemorates the life of Marilyn Kay Parsons.

Marilyn, who was born on October 20, 1949, and passed on December 22, 2023, dedicated more than 40 years to the State of West Virginia. Marilyn began her public services as an executive assistant to Governor Arch A. Moore and included time on the Republican State Executive Committee.

Marilyn served in leadership roles for five Minority Leaders and two Speakers in the 38 years she worked for the House of Delegates. In 2021, Marilyn assumed her final leadership role for the Senate President, where she continued to be a model public servant.

Tonight, a memorial will be held honoring Marilyn at the Culture Center at 5 p.m.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, January 12, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Today
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 12:45 p.m. in Room 434.
The Health and Human Resources Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Finance Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 460.

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 410.

Senate Convenes Second Session of 86th Legislature

The West Virginia Senate gaveled in at Noon today to convene the Second Session of the 86th Legislature.

The body introduced 199 bills on day one.

Of these bills, Senate Bills 142-173 and 175-180 were read a first time. Those bills will be on the amendment stage tomorrow and are on schedule for a vote of the full Senate on Friday. These measures are being fast-tracked as they all passed through the Senate committee process last year before failing to complete legislative action.

Also on Wednesday, the Senate adopted SR4, designating January as Human Trafficking Awareness month.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings This Afternoon:

Outdoor Recreation at 2 p.m. in 208W

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Committee Meetings Tomorrow Morning:

Finance at 9:30 a.m. in 451M

House Gavels in for 2024 Legislative Session

The House of Delegates gaveled in for the first day of the Second Session of the 86th Legislature at noon today.

In a brief floor session, four resolutions were taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.

House Concurrent Resolution 1 extends an invitation to the Governor to deliver the State of the State Address.

House Resolution 1 authorizes the appointment of employees for the 2024 session.

House Resolution 2 authorizes the printing and distribution of Acts of the Legislature and Journals of the House of Delegates.

House Resolution 3 creates the Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence.

Other resolutions introduced today can be found here.

Bills introduced today can be found here.

The House is in recess until 6:45 p.m. tonight, when a Joint Assembly of the House and Senate will take place for the Governor’s State of the State Address.

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow
The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460. Budget Hearing Calendar
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 12:45 p.m. in Room 434.
The Health and Human Resources Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Finance Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 460. Budget Hearing Calendar

Committee Meetings, Friday, January 12
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 410.

The House reconvened at 7 p.m. for the Joint Assembly to hear the Governor’s State of State Address.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.