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Legislature Completes Third Extraordinary Session

House Floor Session

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October 20, 2021

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Legislature Completes Third Extraordinary Session

The bodies of the Legislature convened today for the final day of the Third Extraordinary Session.

The House convened at 6 p.m. passing several pieces of legislation.

House Bill 301 was made effective from passage. The bill creates 100 single-member House districts based on the population of the 2020 Census.

The House concurred to complete House Bill 335, which requires covered employers to provide religious and health exemptions to mandatory COVID vaccination.

The House amended and passed Senate Bill 3034, which creates Senate districts based on the population of the 2020 Census.

The House passed House Bill 339, which creates the Broadband Development Fund.

Both, House Bills 337 and 338 were tabled. The Senate’s companion bills were taken up and completed. The House suspended rules to take up Senate Bills 3040 and 3042 immediately.

Senate Bill 3040 transfers $10,000,000 from General Revenue to the Department of Economic Development for Broadband Development.

Senate Bill 3041 transfers $90,000,000 from federal money to the Governor’s Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund for Broadband Development Fund.

The House has adjourned sine die.

The Senate convened at 7 p.m.

The Senate concurred and completed Senate Bill 3034. They also passed and completed House Bill 339.

The Senate has adjourned sine die.

Senate Passes Map of Own Districts

Senate Floor Session

Christopher Marshall

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October 19, 2021

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Following several days of debate and and consideration, the Senate reached an agreement this afternoon regarding how its districts will be shaped for the next 10 years.

The approved map, newly-amended into Senate Bill 3034 today by senator Charles Trump (R – Morgan, 15) passed on a vote of 31-2 with one absence.

Trump called the prevailing map a good plan that he believes is constitutional. He described it as a blend of the two maps considered yesterday.

“This amendment I believe reconciles and harmonizes some of the issues that were points of contention,” Trump said. “This is the product of conversations and compromises over a long period of time by a great number of people.”

The map divides 11 counties, fewer than the options presented yesterday. One of the major points of contention was alleviated by keeping the 17th district entirely in Kanawha County. A previous map had split the district, offering no assurance that the state’s largest county would have its own senator.

The map now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration. Traditionally, each body passes its counterpart’s map with no changes.

Later on Tuesday, following a lengthy debate, the Senate completed action on House Bill 335, the Covid-19 medical/religious vaccine exemption bill. The legislation completed on a narrow 17-16 vote with one senator absent. Efforts to make the bill effective from passage failed to reach the 2/3 vote requirement.

The Senate also completed action on House Bill 336, supplementing and amending appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security, Division of Justice and Community Services.

Finally, the body suspended the constitutional rules requiring a bill be read on three separate days to quickly pass Senate Bills 3039-3041. These bills, originating in the rules committee, included a measure creating the Broadband Development Fund as well as two supplemental appropriation bills. They now head to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Oct 20, at 5 p.m.

House Map Passes Senate

House Floor Session

Cheyenne DeBolt

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October 18, 2021

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The Senate convened today to continue work for the third extraordinary session. They completed House Bill 301, which reapportions House of Delegates Districts into 100 single-member districts.

Then, discussion on Senate Bill 3034 began. Several senators offered a strike and insert amendment. An amendment to the amendment was proposed and adopted, changing districts in the southwestern part of the state offered in the strike and insert amendment. However, the strike and insert amendment (as amended) was rejected. The original bill, without amendment, remains on third reading.

Following a recess, Senators came back to continue the Senate Calendar.

Senate Bill 3034 was laid over one day. The Senate continued with the agenda and moved House Bill 335 and House Bill 336 to third reading with the right to amend.

House Bill 335 requires covered employees to provide religious and health exemptions from mandatory COVID vaccines.

House Bill 336 is a supplemental appropriation. It moves funds from General Revenue to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Senate is adjourned until 12 p.m. tomorrow.

Senate Completes Action on Two Bills

Senate Floor Session

Admin

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October 15, 2021

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Today in the Senate, two bills completed legislative action. Senate Bill 3030, updating provisions establishing Intermediate Court of Appeals, and Senate Bill 3025, relating generally to WV ABLE Act, were both completed after concurrence with House amendments.

Two other bills, Senate Bill 3037 and Senate Bill 3038, both supplemental appropriations were each taken up for immediate consideration, read a first, second and third time and passed.

Senate Bill 3034, dividing the state into senatorial districts, was laid over one day and retained its place on the calendar.

Two bills, Senate Bill 3035 and Senate Bill 3036, were referred to the Rules Committee.

Also, House Concurrent Resolution 301, authorizing adjournments of the Senate and House of Delegates was adopted.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, October 18th at 11:00 a.m.

House Passes COVID Vaccine Exemptions Bill

House Floor Session

Cheyenne DeBolt

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October 15, 2021

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The House convened for day five of the third extraordinary session. Before the 9 a.m. session meeting, the Rules Committee met and moved House Bill 335 to the foot of all bills and moved all supplemental bills on third reading off the calendar, as the Senate companion bills were passed yesterday. Remaining on the calendar: Two bills were on third reading and two were on second reading.

The House suspended rules for Senate Bill 3026 and Senate Bill 3030 to be read a third time and be put upon passage.

Senate Bill 3026 makes any rule of a local health board void if it has not been approved, disapproved, or amended and approved by the appropriate local elected board (county commission, municipality, or county board of education) within 30 days of approval from the local board of health. It includes orders and directives made by a local health officer, which operates as a rule or policy affecting multiple people as a class within the jurisdiction subject to the process for approval, disapproval, or amendment by the local elected body.

Senate Bill 3030 updates the Intermediate Appellate Reorganization Act. The Intermediate Court of Appeals was created during the 2021 Regular Session with Senate Bill 275.

Senate Bill 3018 moves funding from the General Revenue Fund to the State Department of Education for the fiscal year 2022.

House Bill 335 requires covered employers to provide for religious and medical exemptions from mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Committee on Finance will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.

The House is in recess until 4 p.m.

The House adopted House Joint Resolution 301 to authorize the House and Senate to adjourn for more than 3 days as needed during this special session.

The House received three bills from the Finance Committee and read them a first time.

House Bill 337 transfers $10,000,000 from general revenue to the WV Department of Economic Development.

House Bill 338 transfers $90,000,000 from federal money to the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.

House Bill 339 creates the Broadband Development Fund.

The House is adjourned until the call of the chair.

House Completes 31 Senate Bills Today

House Floor Session

Cheyenne DeBolt

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October 14, 2021

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The House convened this morning for day 4 of the special session.

The House postponed action on all third reading bills for one day. They continued to take up the companion bills from the Senate, which were on second reading today.

The rules were suspended, and all Senate companion bills were read a second and third time and placed upon their adoption. Of the 32 companion bills, 31 of them were completed and one was amended. Twenty-three of the bills were supplemental appropriation bills including Senate Bill 3001, Senate Bill 3004, and Senate Bill 3016.

Senate Bill 3001 moves $16,400,000 of federal funds from the Treasury funds to the Bureau of Senior Services. These funds are to assist senior centers with providing meals during the pandemic.

Senate Bill 3004 moves $1,098,839 of federal funds from the Treasury funds to the Department of Agriculture.

Senate Bill 3016 moves $72,900 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Arts, Culture, and History’s Division of Culture and History for current expenses and the creation of the WV Women’s Suffragist Memorial.

Senate Bill 3025 was amended. The bill permits a person with signature authority, under the federal ABLE Act, to open and manage an account on behalf of a designated beneficiary.

Other Bills which were completed by the House:

Senate Bill 3028 increases the statutory salary of the Director of the Lottery Commission from $92,500 to $110,000.

Senate Bill 3031 exempts taxation of the sale of certain aircraft sold in this state and registered in another state and removed from this state within 60 days.

Senate Bill 3033 creates two congressional districts based on the population of the 2020 census.

House Bill 335 was read for a second time today. It requires covered employers to provide for religious and medical exemptions from mandatory COVID vaccination mandates.

The House is in recess until 1 p.m.

The House reconvened to receive Senate messages. Senate Bill 3026 and Senate Bill 3030 were read for the first time.

The Rules Committee will meet tomorrow at 8:45 a.m.

The House is adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Senate Passes Bill Updating Intermediate Court

Senate Floor Session

Admin

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October 14, 2021

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Senate Passes Bill Updating Intermediate Court

Today in the Senate, Senators reported from committee and passed Senate Bill 3030, a bill which updates provisions establishing Intermediate Court of Appeals, which was created during the 2021 Regular Session with Senate Bill 275.

Senators also deferred action on three bills on the Senate Calendar. On Third Reading, Senate Bill 3034, which divides the state into senatorial districts, was laid over one day. Senate Bill 3035 requiring covered employers provide certain exemptions from mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, and Senate Bill 3036 supplementing and amending appropriations to DHS, Division of Justice and Community Services, both on 2nd Reading, were laid over one day.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, October 15th, at 11:00 a.m.

House Redistricting Bill Moves to Senate

House Floor Session

Cheyenne DeBolt

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October 13, 2021

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House Redistricting Bill Moves to Senate

The House convened for day three of the third extraordinary session.

After a lengthy discussion, House Bill 301 passed the House 79-20. Several amendments were rejected. House Bill 301 creates 100 single member districts based on population from the 2020 census.

The approved map shown below. It goes to the Senate for review.

House Bill 334 passed the House 98-0. The bill updates the Intermediate Appellate Reorganization Act. The bill requires that appeals entered by family courts in domestic violence proceedings must first be made to circuit code and give the circuit court jurisdiction over the appeals. It modifies the prohibition on sitting Intermediate Court of Appeals Judges to retain a seat upon becoming a candidate or pre-candidate for any nonjudicial elected public office. It authorizes the Intermediate Court of Appeals to be located in a fixed or virtual location. The bill authorizes individuals appointed to serve as judges of the Intermediate Court of Appeals to take the oath and commence duties on or before July 1, 2022.

The House is in recess until 3:30 p.m.

Meetings

The Committee on Finance will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460M.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410M.

The House reconvened at 4 p.m. to accept committee reports and messages from the Senate.

House Bill 335 requires covered employers to provide religious and health exemptions from mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.

House Bill 336, an appropriation bill, transfers funds from general revenue to the Department of Homeland Security Division of Justice and Community Services.

The House is adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Senate Passes Congressional Map

Senate Floor Session

Christopher Marshall

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October 13, 2021

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The Senate passed SB3033 this afternoon, approving a new congressional map that will divide West Virginia into two north-south districts.

The map was amended to align with the House of Delegates’ map of choice, signaling agreement in both bodies. The map proposals in each body were already very similar, with the only difference being the positioning of Ritchie and Pendleton counties. The current map places Pendleton in the southern district and Ritchie in the northern district.

There was little debate on the map that was approved on a 30-2 vote with two Senators absent. Senators Robert Karnes ( R-Randolph, 11) and Mike Caputo (D-Marion, 13) were the dissenting votes.

Also on Wednesday, the Senate passed 24 supplemental appropriation bills as well as various other items.

The Senate delayed action on SB3034, the bill proposing new Senate districts, until tomorrow. The bill will be up for passage then, with amendments still possible.

Senate Bill 3035, requiring covered employers provide certain exemptions from mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, and Senate Bill 3036, another appropriation measure, were read a first time today. Both of these bills were recent additions to the Governor’s Special Session call.

UPDATE

The Senate reconvened briefly at 6 p.m., amending and passing Senate Bill 3026, relating to review, approval, disapproval, or amendment of local boards of health rules by county commission or county board of education. The bill now heads to the House for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m.

Redistricting Committee Moves Map 6

House Committee

Cheyenne DeBolt

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October 12, 2021

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The House Redistricting Committee met this afternoon and passed an originating bill to the floor.

The Committee has selected Congressional Map 6 to report to the House. Map 6 divides the state into a Northern District and a Southern District for Congressional Districts.

For more redistricting information, visit the redistricting page.