The House convened today at 9 a.m.

House Resolution 9 was amended and adopted. The resolution moves remarks by members back to the House Order of Business. The resolution allows remarks by members to be on Wednesday each week for an unlimited amount of time.

Last year, due to the pandemic remarks were removed from the order of business and offered in the evening once a week. This resolution simply brings the remarks back into the floor session while still limiting it to once a week.

Six bills were passed today, including House Bill 4024 and House Bill 4301.

House Bill 4024 creates an apprenticeship program for cosmetology to allow companies to train apprentices for practical real-world experience. The apprenticeship would satisfy all requirements for certification. Barbers are already in a similar apprenticeship program. The bill advances to the Senate.

House Bill 4301 removes the partisan requirement to the election of members to the Huntington Park and Recreation District Board. Removing this requirement will allow for a larger pool of candidates for the board. The composition of the board is based on magistrate districts. Recently, Cabell County went from a five-district magistrate to a three-district magistrate. The bill states that three members shall be elected from each magistrate district and one member shall be elected from the Westmoreland area of Wayne County for a total of 10 members. The bill also adds staggered elections for the board to allow for continuity. The reason this is a state issue is that the Hunting Park and Recreation District spans two counties, not just one. Therefore, it is required to be in state code. The bill advances to the Senate.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022.

Committees – Today

The Committee on Senior, Children, and Family Issues will meet at 10:30 a.m. in Room 215E.

The Judiciary Committee will meet at 11 a.m. in Room 410.

Public Hearing – on HB 2882 -Relating to repealing a ban on construction of nuclear power plants on today at 10:40 a.m. in the House Chamber.

Committees – Monday, January 31, 2022

The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.

The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m. behind the Chamber.

The Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.

The Pension and Retirement Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.

The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1:45 p.m. in 215E.

The Education Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 434.

The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

The House of Delegates adopted House Resolution 10 on January 27, 2022. Kiss’s wife, Melinda was escorted by former several former House speakers and the Raleigh County senator and delegation to be presented the resolution.

House Resolution 10 commemorates the life of former House Speaker Robert S. Kiss, who passed away on November 5, 2021.

Robert Stephen Kiss was born in Elizabeth, NJ and raised in a military family, living all over. He attended Ohio State University, receiving his bachelor’s in economics in 1979 and his J.D. in 1982. After graduating, Kiss moved to Raleigh County and began practicing law.

Kiss was a devoted father and husband. He always said his greatest achievement in life was his marriage to Melinda and the birth of his two sons, Cameron and Carter.

In 1988, Kiss was elected to the House of Delegates from Raleigh County. He would serve 18 years in the House. With his experience with economics, finance, and law, he was appointed the vice chair of the Finance Committee in his second term as a delegate. Two years later, he was serving as Chair of the Finance Committee. He served as Chair until elected speaker in 1997.

During his tenure as House Speaker, the legislature accomplished so much including, funding roads and highways, developing water and sewer systems, funding higher education scholarships, funding a children’s health program, improving the state’s credit rating, creating the state’s Rainy-Day Fund, and so much more. He never took personal credit for these accomplishments. He always credited the full body.

After 18 years of public service, 10 of which were as speaker, the longest term served, Kiss retired from public service returned to private law. In 2013, Kiss returned to public service as part of Governor Tomblin’s administration to serve as the Cabinet Secretary of Revenue, where he stayed until 2016.

Kiss was a distinguished West Virginian, a devout Catholic, and a kind and compassionate friend. Often the smartest in the room, he had a love for practical jokes. He often joked that if a memorial resolution for him was ever presented it should end with “And he loved dogs.” And so, it did.