The House Finance Committee met this afternoon, passing the House Budget Bill and House Bill Originating.

The originating House Bill expires $155,288,050 from the Governor’s Civil Contingency Fund and appropriates the same amount to the Higher Education Policy Commission for deferred maintenance.

House Bill 2026 is the budget bill. The Governor’s introduced budget was $5,323,157,000 in General Revenue without a surplus; everything was allocated in the front of the budget.

In the House Version of the Budget, the General Revenue total is $5,127,827,072 with a general revenue surplus of $128,750,000. The total expected budget is $19,236,401 including the following funding streams:

• State Road Fund: $1,998,605,014
• Special Revenue: $2,302,850,253
• Lottery Revenue: $157,392,000
• Excess Lottery: $338,554,000
• Federal Revenue: $8,224,744,008
• Federal B. Grants: $730,395,275
• Lottery Surplus: $16,750,000
• Excess Lottery Surplus: $17,800,000

Increases in HB 2026 include

• PEIA employer share increase: $40 million
• WV Birth to Three: $7 million
• Human Service Funding Restored: $90 million
• Adjutant General SEARCH Director: $70,000
• Correctional Units: $30 million
• Juvenile Services: $9 million
• Victims of Crime Act: $3 million
• LPN to BNS Program at WVSU: $250,000
• WVU College of Law $250,000
• Tuition Contract Program – Veterinarian Schools: $308,000
• Military College Council Study: $294,000
• Supreme Court: $1 million
• Hope Scholarship: $7 million
• Supreme Court pay increase: $1.2 million
• Senate $500,000
• House $500,000
• Joint Committee $1 million

Decreases in HB 2026

• 2 percent from select agencies with long-term vacancies: $8 million
• State aid formula update: $11 million
• WVU: $15 million
• Mergers of State Departments: $300,000
• Reduction in Judicial Retirement System Contribution: $1.247 million

General Revenue Surplus Plans

• State Road direct transfer: $100 million
• Victims of Crime Act: $10 million
• Water Development Authority: $10 million
• Cabell County Commission: $250,000
• WVU Washington Center: $1.5 million
• Department of Tourism Surplus: $7 million

On day 48 of the Legislative session, the House passed 27 bills in its morning floor meeting. Before the floor session, the Rules Committee moved House Bills 2409, 3432, 3446, and 3518 to the inactive calendar. House Bills 2054 and 3154 were transferred to the active Special Calendar.

Some bills passing today were:

Senate Bill 458 implements “universal licensure” which has been implemented in 26 other states. The bill applies to Chapter 30 boards, which would be required to issue occupational licenses for a person who has established residency in the state. The person must have completed all necessary requirements and examines in other states and be in good standing with the state they are licensed in.

House Bill 2002 creates a one-stop shop for permits relating to construction, economic development, infrastructure, and natural resources.

House Bill 2013 exempts new hires and those who switch positions from the civil service system and grievance process starting July 1, 2025.

House Bill 2156 gives DOH 30 days to respond to highway entrance permits. If the department does not respond, the request is auto-approved. If the permit is contested, the DOH has 15 days to respond. If the DOH follows the process and denies the request, the applicant can contest the denial in magistrate court within 15 days. If the applicant complies with the guidelines, there is an application fee. If the applicant requests emergency access or a shorter timeframe than outlined, the DOH may require a $500 application fee.

House Bill 2351 increases the compensation for panel attorneys to $90 for in-court work and $70 for out-of-court work.

House Bill 2571 provides tow companies with access to driver information provided by the DMV at any hour as long as the company is regulated by the Public Service Commission.

House Bill 2894 amends the human trafficking code and adds a new crime – human smuggling. The bill defines “human smuggling” as the knowing act of transporting, transferring, receiving, isolating, enticing, or harboring an illegal alien to avoid enforcement of state or federal immigration laws. The bill excludes immediate family members when transportation is done voluntarily. The bill sets penalties for smuggling an adult and a minor.

House Bill 3152 is the annual claims bill, which directs payment of moral obligations of state agencies for claims against the state.

House Bill 3167 requires hair follicle drug tests for parents in cases of substantiated abuse and neglect. The bill was amended to allow parents to opt into a follicle test if they believe they’ve had a false positive urine drug test. Hair follicle drug tests are considered the most accurate.

House Bill 3279 makes changes to the WVU and WVSU Boards of Governors. The bill requires a representative from the agriculture or forestry professions. The bill requires the WVU board to include representatives from WVU Tech and WVU Potomac. These added members are voting members. The bill also removes faculty, staff, and students from being voting members to nonvoting advisory members.

Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

During committee reports, six bills were read for the first time.

The House is in recess until 4 p.m.

Committee Meetings, Today March 31

• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Finance Committee will meet at 1:50 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Subcommittee on Energy and Public Works will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Senate passed 21 bills during a floor session that lasted a little under two hours on Saturday.

Among the bills passed, Senate Bill 761 creates the Joel Archer Substance Abuse Intervention Act. The bill is named after a young man that passed away as a result of a drug overdose.

The legislation aims to establish a legal framework for the involuntary treatment of individuals suffering from substance use disorders, specifically targeting dependents or spouses who present an imminent threat to themselves or others.

Also on Saturday, the body passed Senate Bill 765, which establishes the Troops-to-Teachers Program.

The legislation is designed to attract and recruit veterans to serve as public school teachers. The bill stipulates that honorably discharged veterans with a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field could obtain a professional teaching certificate, provided they meet certain criteria, including proof of military instructor certification and passing state-required tests. Additionally, veterans awarded a teaching certificate would receive hiring preferences as outlined in state code.

The Senate also passed Senate Bill 748, which would create the Safer Communities Act. The legislation aims to enhance public safety across the state by implementing a series of measures designed to address crime and improve community security.

The bill would focus on increasing funding for local law enforcement agencies, expanding community policing initiatives, and establishing programs aimed at crime prevention and intervention.

These bills now head to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, March 31, at 11 a.m.

Morning Meetings for March 31:

Gov. Org at 9:30 a.m. in 208W

Education at 9:30 a.m. 451M

The Senate passed a bill on Friday to give state mine inspectors a pay raise.

Senate Bill 708 would provide state mine inspectors with a $4,000 raise. It was discussed on the floor that these professionals have not had a raise in pay since 2011.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 29, at 10 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings:

Education at 1:15 p.m. in 451M

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

On day 45 of the Legislative Session, the House floor session began with several motions.

First, a point of privilege was requested to determine what happened to the amendment which was supposed to be on House Bill 3111. After some discussion at the podium, the delegate who raised the point decided to handle the request when the bill was up for passage.

Then, a motion to discharge House Bill 2007 from the Committee on Health and Human Services was made. Another member quickly moved to table the motion, which was ruled out of order by the Chair, per Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure. The Chair’s ruling was challenged and discussed but upheld. The previous question was called, which ended the discussion. The motion for the previous question was ruled in order, as Mason’s Manual does not refer to the previous question on a motion to discharge. After this, the motion to discharge was rejected in a 16 to 74 vote.

Another delegate motioned to discharge House Bill 3270 from the Judiciary Committee. The bill is double-referred, meaning it would still go to the Finance Committee. The motion to discharge was adopted with a 75 to 15 vote.

Another delegate motioned to discharge House Bill 3173 from the Committee on Energy and Public Works. The motion was rejected with a vote of 17 to 71.

The priority of parliamentary authority for the House of Delegates is House (1) House Rules, (2) the West Virginia Constitution, (3) the Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure, and (4) the Jefferson’s Manual and the Digest of the Rules and Practices of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress.

The House is in recess until 1 p.m. When the House returns to the floor, the calendar should be taken up.

It was a busy day in the House today. Twenty bills passed the House, including:

House Bill 2121 authorizes disabled veterans’ widows to receive the real property tax exemption as long as they remain living on the property and remain unmarried.

House Bill 2205 requires the Public Service Commission to establish and enforce rules to govern permits for the construction, use, and retirement of advanced nuclear reactors. The bill restricts the PSC’s jurisdiction to issue or refuse to issue certificates of necessity and siting certificates for the construction and operation of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and microreactors for electric generating facilities.

House Bill 2377 requires transparency from the Department of Human Services by allowing the Foster Care Ombudsman to access information related to child abuse or neglect proceedings, including the identities of reporters. It establishes the Critical Incident Review Team, outlining its purpose, responsibilities, and reporting requirements, while ensuring confidentiality.

House Bill 3503 states that no county, municipality, or political subdivision may prohibit, regulate, permit, or license commercial horticulture within the subject matter of the Water Pollution Control Act. The bill invalidates any within the subject matter of the Water Pollution Control Act, and all such provisions in charters, laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, or zoning provisions, which already try to do this. The bill also prevents counties, municipalities, or political subdivisions from suiting a commercial horticulture operation for any activity within the subject matter of the Water Pollution Control Act, if the commercial horticulture operation is in material compliance with the Water Pollution Control Act, its rules, and federal laws and regulations.

Two bills on second reading were amended.

House Bill 3305 changes the limit on switching parties before filing to run for office from 60 days to 180 days. The adopted amendment added independents to the bill.

House Bill 3492 authorizes the City of Huntington to level a special district tax for the benefit of the City of Huntington.

The following House Concurrent Resolutions were adopted:

• H. C. R. 14 – US Navy S1C Curtis Hatcher Memorial Road
• H. C. R. 30 – Pastor Roger D. Stewart and Brenda Runion Stewart Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 43 – Ray William “Mutt” Sherman Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 51 – U.S. Army Roy Lee Hill Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 52 – Ronnie W. Matthews Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 55 – Vance Brothers Six Military Veterans Highway
• H. C. R. 70 – Revolutionary War Patriot Patrick Board Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 77 – Jim Sigmon Family Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 82 – U.S. Army PFC Paul Ralph Bittinger Sr. Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 85 – Lavern “Mousey” Testerman Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 86 – U. S. Army PFC Robert F. Mann Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 87 – Clark Brothers Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 89 – U. S. Army SP4 Kermit Harold Yoho Memorial Bridge
• H. C. R. 91 – Charles Grant Hoke Memorial
• H. C. R. 93 – Scott Miller Hill Bypass

The House is in recess until 6 p.m.

The House returned to the floor to take up committee reports, Executive messages, and Senate messages.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, March 28, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 27

• The Judiciary Committee will meet immediately after the floor in Room 410.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 2:30 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Finance Committee will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 5 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow March 28

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m. in the Speaker’s Conference Room.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Senate passed a bill on Thursday that aims to supercharge economic development by allowing West Virginia higher education institutions to partner with non-profit organizations.

Senate Bill 825 seeks to streamline agreements that promote job creation and enhance research capabilities within the state’s universities.

The legislation amends existing codes to enable these institutions to enter into contracts with non-stock, not-for-profit corporations, specifically designed to foster economic growth. By exempting these agreements from certain regulatory requirements, the bill is positioned to expedite research funding and development initiatives, which supporters argue are crucial for the state’s economic future.

Key provisions of the bill include designating these non-profits as the primary economic development entities for the institutions, allowing for shared governance between university officials and corporate directors, and simplifying the process for acquiring research grants. Proponents believe that this collaboration will not only bolster the competitive edge of West Virginia’s higher education system but also create jobs and stimulate local economies.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

UPDATE:

The Senate reconvened around 4:45 pm and received House messages and committee reports, reading select bills a first time.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 28, at Noon.

Morning Meetings for March 28:

Transportation and Infrastructure at 10 a.m. in 451M

Energy at 11 a.m. in 208W

House Rules met this evening to hear about two bills; both bills advanced to the markup and passage stage for a future meeting.

House Bill 3411 repeals code relating to expired legislative commissions including the Legislative Building Commission, the WV Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission and Fund, The Council of Finance and Administration, the Steering Committee for the WV Enterprise Resource Planning Board, the WV Sentencing Commission, the Toll Road Study Commission, the Select Committee on Outcomes-based Funding Models in Higher Education, Equal Pay Commission, Joint Legislative Oversight Commission on State Water Resources, Commission on Interstate Cooperation, and the Legislative Oversight Committee on WV Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority. Additionally, the bill removes legislative membership from the Employee Suggestion Award Board, the WV Forest Management Review Commission, the WV Economic Development Strategy, the WV Fusion Center, and the State Board of Risk and Insurance Management. Finally, the bill moves the duties of the Joint Commission of Government Operations duties to the Joint Committee on Government Organizations.

House Bill 3412 allows the Legislature to clarify what is and is not a public record through individual chamber rules or Joint Rules. The bill’s goal is not to exempt the Legislature from record release but to clarify what should be released as a legislative record. Examples of what would not be considered legislative records included draft legislation and draft amendments, which were never introduced.

The Senate passed bills on Tuesday to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies in West Virginia, as well as to give the Legislature ultimate authority over state board of education policies.

Senate Bill 474 introduced at the request of the Governor, would ban concepts in state government and academia connected to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The legislation seeks to eliminate DEI programs, training, activities, offices, and officers from West Virginia’s executive branch, primary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions. The bill would prohibit state entities from establishing DEI offices, hiring DEI personnel, requiring diversity statements, giving preferential treatment based on DEI, and mandating DEI training.

At its core, the bill would forbid hiring preferences based on race, ethnicity or sex.

More specifically, the legislation would restrict the imposition of certain concepts related to race and gender on students and employees, and prevent employees from being compelled to use preferred pronouns that do not align with someone’s biological sex at birth.

The bill passed on a 32-2 party line vote.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would establish the Legislature’s ultimate authority over educational rules, mandating that newly created rules be submitted for legislative review, approval, amendment or rejection.

Senate Bill 705 would require the state board of education to submit newly promulgated rules to the Legislature through the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee.

The state board of education’s authority is laid out in the state Constitution, which states “The general supervision of the free schools of the State shall be vested in the West Virginia board of education which shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by law.” The state Supreme Court has upheld this language multiple times.

West Virginia voters rejected a constitutional amendment in 2022 that would given the Legislature the authority that this bill seeks to give.

Supporters of this bill today said that the constitutional amendment was on the ballot with several others three years ago and that voters were confused. They also contend that the Supreme Court has been wrong in its rulings, misinterpreting the law multiple times.

Critics of the bill said they are reluctant to go against the will of the voters and that the people of West Virginia have stated clearly that they don’t want non educators messing with the educational process. They also believe that if this bill passes it will be ruled unconstitutional.

The legislation passed on a 19-15 vote.

The bills now head to the House of Delegates for consideration.

UPDATE:

The Senate returned to the floor at 4:30 p.m. and completed the calendar, reading bills a second and first time.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 27, at 11 a.m.

Senate Education will meet tomorrow, March 27, at 9:30 a.m.