The Senate met briefly Friday morning, quickly passing six bills before adjourning for the weekend.
Among the bills passed Friday, Senate Bill 520 would increase the financial penalties for ransomware attacks. The legislation calls for fines of between $10,000 and $100,000 based on the severity of the crime and damage. The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.
The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure met this evening.
House Bill 4001 creates the Legislative Oversight Commission on Department of Economic Development Accountability. The bill provides for several special revenue funds, which will need to be appropriated from the Legislature.
Department of Economic Development is focused on last-mile services. There are 300,000 addresses in WV, which do not have access to Broadband.
There was an attempt to amend the amended bill to remove the commission creation. The amendment to the amendment was a loss due to a tie (9-9). The bill advances to the Finance Committee.
The Judiciary Committee met this afternoon.
House Joint Resolution 102 proposes a Constitutional Amendment to clarify that the rules and policies created by the State Board of Education are subject to legislative review, approval amendments, or rejection. This proposed amendment would be voted on in the 2022 general election.
The State Board of Education opposes this amendment because they feel adds too much. This is the only Board the legislature doesn’t have rule-making authority over. The resolution advances to the House floor.
House Bill 4329 adds the definition of an “interested person” for purposes into the West Virginia Small Estate Act. This is to identify those who have a property right in or claim against the state of a decedent or property. The bill was amended and advances.
House Bill 4553 clarifies that exempt any wholesale generator is a permitted use in any zoning district.
House Bill 4331 allows for intergovernmental relations with urban mass transportation systems. These systems will qualify for federal funding through the US Department of Labor. The bill ensures that federal funding purposes, deductions are defined in code.
On Day 30, the House convened and passed four bills, adopted 12 resolutions, and postponed action on House Bill 4483.
Of the 12 resolutions, 11 were naming resolutions for roads and bridges. House Resolution 6 urges the Army Corps of Engineers to support hydroelectric power generation at the Summersville Dam.
House Bill 4032 modifies the criminal penalties imposed on a parent, guardian, or custodian for child abuse or neglect. For subsequent offenses, the bill makes abuse or neglect a felony.
House Bill 4098 clarifies and defines geothermal energy in the state. It designates the DEP to authorize permits and create oversight.
House Bill 4297 allows for exceptions of confidentiality to allow DHHR to share financial records with the State Auditor to investigate financial abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult.
House Bill 4522 creates an auto expungement mechanism for individuals who have been acquitted or whose case has been dismissed with prejudice. Persons may apply or petition for expungement now. This would simply do so without the additional steps of the individual.
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. on Friday, February 11, 2022.
Committees – Today
The Sub Committee on HB 4006 will meet at 2:15 p.m. in Room 410.
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 2:30 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
The Finance Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
The Education Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure at 6 p.m. in Room 215E.
Committees –Thursday, February 10, 2022
The Committee on Prisons and Jails will meet at 8 a.m. in Room 410.
The Sub Committee on HB 2910 will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 434.
The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m.
The Senate passed Meghan’s Law on Thursday afternoon, legislation that would provide training for educators to help them recognize eating disorders and other harmful actions.
The body passed House Bill 4074 with a title amendment. The House of Delegates is expected to quickly concur tomorrow, completing action on the measure and sending it to the Governor’s desk.
The legislation is named for Meghan Clark, the 15-year-old daughter of Delegate Wayne Clark (R-Jefferson, 65), the lead sponsor of the bill. According to Clark, Meghan developed an eating disorder, which manifested toward the end of the 2021 legislative session, because of remarks from a cheer coach.
The bill requires the state Board of Education to establish training requirements for all public school employees on students’ self-harm behaviors and eating disorders. Staff would be trained every three years. The legislation also requires yearly education for middle and high school students regarding self-harm behavior and eating disorder signs, prevention, and treatment.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m.
Education will meet at 2 p.m. in 451M.
Government Organization will meet at 2 p.m. in 208W.
Finance will meet at 3 p.m. in 451M.
Judiciary will meet at 3 p.m. in 208W.
The Judiciary Committee met this morning, advancing a few bills.
House Bill 4560 affects 12 sections of the code. The bill provides for additional protections for auto dealers in their transactions with manufacturers. It requires dealer agreements to establish legal requirements. It modifies obligations under warranties. Manufacturers cannot use the relationship with a dealer to find out information on other manufacturers. Performances standards for dealerships must be specific to local market circumstances, geographic characteristics, and traffic patterns. This is so manufacturers cannot impose one size fits all performance standards on dealerships.
House Bill 4578 codifies the authorization of the superintendent of the State Police to oversee the administration and implementation of the State’s Handle with Care Program.
House Bill 4562 clarifies the process of the suspension and dismissal of school personnel by the board and the appeals process.
The Committee is in recess.
In the afternoon meeting, the Judiciary Committee will take up House Bill 4329, House Bill 4553, House Bill 4331, and House Joint Resolution 102.
House Education met this afternoon and advanced four bills.
House Bill 4357 establishes the West Virginia Technology Internship Program. The program’s purposes are to connect college/university students, recent graduates, and veterans with small businesses in high growth technology sector through internships, increase student understanding of employment opportunities in the state, encourage students to remain in the state after graduation, and assist technology-based businesses in developing internship programs and recruiting future employees. Students in this program would be learning and earning. The Program pays 50 percent of the student’s salary and then 50 percent would come from a grant. The bill advances to Finance.
House Bill 4565 exempts temporary state employees and employees of the HEPC from automatic enrollment into the state’s 457(b) plan. An amendment was offered and adopted. The bill advances to Finance.
House Bill 2084 expands tuition and fee waivers or adjustments for senior citizens by including in the statute that metro area, if taking non-credit courses, and by decreasing the eligibility age from 65 years to 60 years of age or older. The bill advances to Finance.
House Bill 4264 changes the name of Glenville State College to Glenville State University, as the institution has met all requirements to attain university status. The bill advances to the House floor.
In today’s meeting, House Judiciary authorized several rules for DHHR. The committee also advanced three bills.
House Bill 4004 would ban abortions after 15 weeks. It is similar to the bill that just passed in Mississippi and is in front of the Supreme Court. The only facility in WV provides abortions and has a self-imposed 16-week limit for abortions.
An amendment offered to include exception for rape or incest, and it was rejected. The bill advances to the floor.
House Bill 4005 prohibits the sale, transfer, and transportation of fetal body parts from an induced abortion. The bill advances to the floor.
House Bill 4280 increases the daily rate of compensation for people serving on petit juries to $80. The bill advances to the floor.
House Bill 4331 was on today’s agenda but will be taken up in tomorrow’s meeting.
The Senate Finance Committee met briefly on Wednesday afternoon, quickly advancing a 5 percent pay raise for teachers, school service personnel and State Police employees.
Senate Bill 531 costs roughly $71 million and will now advance to the full Senate for consideration.
This bill does not include proposed raises for all state employees. Other public employee raises would have to be worked out in the final Budget Bill, as has been done with across the board state employee raises in the past. The final cost of a 5 percent pay increase for all public employees is projected to be between $110-$120 million.
The House convened this morning passing several bills, concurring and amending a bill, and adopting a resolution.
The House concurred with the Senate and amended House Bill 4067 further. The bill makes agency reports electronic for some agencies rather than paper form. It also eliminates reporting for some agencies.
The House adopted House Resolution 13, creating the Select Committee on Tourism and Economic Diversification.
Senate Bill 436 corrects incorrect code relating to the State Fire Marshal. The bill completed legislative action and heads to the Governor.
The following bills advanced to the Senate.
House Bill 3036 sunsets the Board of Sanitarians. The bill sponsor stated that the board performs duplicative tasks with the Board of Health. Sanitarians will still be certified at the federal level.
House Bill 4355 requires state institutions of higher education to disclose certain information about textbooks, digital courseware, and any charges associated with those.
House Bill 4380 increases the number of ten-passenger vans valuable for school extracurricular activities. The bill states that two vans may be used to transport up to 18 students. It is currently one van for 9 students, or a bus may be taken.
House Bill 4389 repeals the School Innovation Zones Act provisions that were superseded by the enactment of the Innovation in Education Act in 2016.
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
Committees – Today
The Workforce Development Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Fire Departments and EMS will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 410.
The Finance Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
The Education Committee will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 434.
Committees –Wednesday, February 9, 2022
The Sub Committee on HB 4006 will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
The Education Committee meet at 3 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure at 6 p.m. in Room 215E.
