Thursday, July 17, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025
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Senate Passes Officer Training Bill to Help Those with Autism

The Senate passed a bill on Monday that would require law enforcement officers to be trained on the best ways to interact with those with autism spectrum disorders.

Senate Bill 634 would require that law enforcement and correction officers be trained in appropriate interactions with individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The legislation would also require the Law Enforcement Professional Standards subcommittee to develop guidelines for law enforcement and correction officer response to individuals on the autism spectrum who are victims or witnesses to a crime, or suspected or convicted of a crime.

Research has shown that interactions with law enforcement can be more dangerous for those with autism spectrum disorder. One of the factors is that those with autism may react to law enforcement in a way that  can look similar to what individuals in law enforcement would consider suspicious behavior (lack of eye contact, reduced or repetitive speech, or repetitive motor movements).

Researchers and other organizations are increasingly recognizing that a dual approach is needed: individuals with autism and their families should have the tools and training regarding how to successfully interact with first responders, and first responders should receive training on how to recognize and interact with individuals with autism and other mental health conditions.

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

The Senate is in recess until 4:30 p.m.

Live streaming for all Senate meetings is available on our Legislature Live page.

Judiciary will meet at 2 p.m. in 208W.

Finance will meet at 3 p.m. in 451M.

Senate Passes Nine Bills on Saturday

The Senate passed nine bills during a Saturday afternoon floor session.

Senate Bill 521 would extend licensure renewal term of certain private investigators, security guards, and associated firms.

Senate Bill 534 would  permit the Economic Development Authority to make working capital loans from revolving loan fund capitalized with federal grant funds.

Senate Bill 585 would require the board of education to create and provide a course in family and consumer sciences in secondary schools.

Senate Bill 604 would require county commissions to create districts for towing services.

The Senate has adjourned until Monday, March 29, at 11 a.m.

Streaming for all meetings is available on our Legislature Live page.

Judiciary will meet today at 2 p.m. in 208W.

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

Senate Honors the Life of Shirley Love, Expands Restorative Justice

The Senate memorialized the life of former Senator Shirley Love on Friday with the unanimous adoption of Senate Resolution 30.

Family and friends of the late Senator were on hand in the gallery to listen to multiple Senators share their memories of Love.

Love, who served one term in the House of Delegates and 14 years in the Senate representing Fayette County, thrived during a 43-year career in radio and television broadcasting.

He passed away in July, 2020, at the age of 87.

Also on Friday, the Senate passed House Bill 2094, which would expand the state’s restorative justice program for juveniles.

Nationally, such programs have shown that by placing young people who have committed a crime face-to-face with the person that they’ve harmed, they are less likely to commit the crime again in the future.

Currently in West Virginia, the state Department of Health and Human Resources provides funding to two restorative programs, the National Youth Advocate Program, which serves 12 counties, and the Juvenile Mediation Program, which works with juveniles in the northern panhandle.

Generally, in these programs, victims will volunteer to meet with their juvenile offenders. They discuss the crime with a mediator present, and together they come up with a way that the juvenile can provide restitution.

In West Virginia, success in the program can lead to the dismissal of criminal charges.

Provided both parties are willing, the bill would open the process up to all juveniles in West Virginia, facing charges of any kind, including violent crimes. Under this legislation, the juvenile offender would only be able to participate in the program once.

The bill now heads back to the House of Delegates for final approval.

The Senate is adjourned until Saturday, March 27, at 12:00 p.m.

Video streaming is available for all meetings on the Legislative Live page.

Government Organization will meet today at 2 p.m. and tomorrow at 10 a.m. in 208W.

Finance will meet at 3 p.m. in 451M.

Judiciary will meet at 3 p.m. in 208W.

Energy, Industry and Mining will meet tomorrow at 9 a.m. in 208W.

House Passes Anti-Discriminations Against Israel Act

Today, the House of Delegates adopted six resolutions, concurred and amended HB 2024, and passed 14 bills.

House Bill 2024 expands telemedicine to permit a licensed healthcare professional from another state to practice in WV when registered with the appropriate board.

Senate Bill 356 allows for the written part of the drivers’ exam to be administered by high school driver education instructors.

Senate Bill 431 allows schools to provide notification of attendance records to DMV electronically so that students do not have to provide documentation for their permit and drivers’ license.

House Bill 2933 creates the Anti-Discrimination Against Israel Act, which prevents state agencies, political subdivisions, and pension plans from doing businesses with or investing in companies that boycott Israel.

The House is in Recess until 5 pm.

Committees

Today’s Meetings

Monday’s Meetings

Virtual Public Hearings

  • Judiciary Committee Monday, March 29 at 8 am on HJR 3 – Property Tax Modernization Amendment
  • Government Organization Committee Monday, March 29 at 3 pm on HB 3072 – Sunset the Board of Forestry

The House reconvened at 6 pm to hear committee reports and Senate messages.

The House is adjourned until 11 am on Monday, March 29, 2021.

Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve

When it comes to creating legislation, there is, frequently, debate and disagreement. However, when it comes to creating legislation for and about those who protect and serve the people of the state, common ground is frequently found.

The West Virginia Legislature has moved several bills relating to first responders, veterans, and other service personnel. Mental health has been a focus with a couple of the bills.

House Bill 3107 declares that PTSD diagnosed by a licensed psychiatrist is a compensable occupational disease for first responders and makes PTSD workers’ compensation coverage an option for first responders. Currently, it is only covered when bodily injury is also present. The Bill was introduced by Delegate Chad Lovejoy (D-Cabell).

“We say we ‘back the blue’ and we get in photos with them when we can, but then we let them die,” Lovejoy said.

Lovejoy introduced the bill because of a Huntington firefighter, who died by suicide after responding to several fatal overdoes, one of which had a personal connection.

Delegate David Kelly (R-Tyler), a former sheriff, supported the legislation stating the trauma affecting first responders is not discussed enough.

“This destroys relationships. It destroys families. It destroys lives,” Kelly said. “I can go for months and it seems like everything is OK. Something can trigger it. It can be a smell, a picture; it can be a television show. It can be lights and sirens. Sometimes it doesn’t take anything.”

Another bill relating to mental health is House Bill 2981. The bill creates a suicide prevention assistance program for veterans within the state. The bill also requires reporting of veteran suicides and suspected veteran suicide. The bill’s lead sponsor is Delegate Charlie Reynolds (R- Marshall).

“I think this legislative session has had and will continue to have a very positive effect on our first responders, our veterans, and our service workers in West Virginia,” Delegate Reynolds said. “HB 2981 will require the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to develop and provide suicide prevention assistance to our veterans, a group of heroes that desperately deserves better government services, and we certainly owe them that much and more.”

Both, the House and the Senate have passed bills to the other chamber providing benefits for veterans and military personnel.

Senate Bill 586 provides a 50 percent discount on fees and charges at West Virginia veterans at state parks. Senate Bill 102 allows for disabled veterans and purple heart recipients free parking at paid parking of the state or its political subdivisions.

Some other bills extend benefits to families of active-duty military members.

House Bill 2874 extends the current veteran’s business fee waiver to active-duty military members, their spouses, and immediate family members. Senate Bill 16 provides continued eligibility for developmental disability services to dependents of military members, so that when the family returns from a reassignment they do not have to begin the eligibility process all over.

“This is an important benefit for our military service people who sacrifice so much being sent around the country and the world,” Senator Mike Romano (D-Harrison) said of Senate Bill 16.

Completed Legislation (03/19/21-03/25/21)

Senate Bill 9 continues the Licensed Racetrack Modernization Fund.

Senate Bill 10 changes the due date of the racetrack table game renewal license fee from July 1 to October 1.

House Bill 2804, a supplemental appropriation bill, moving expired funds from the BRIM- Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund and the Veterans’ Facilities Support Fund to the General Revenue Fund for fiscal year 2021.

House Bill 2803, a supplemental appropriation bill, increasing funds for the Department of Commerce- Division of Forestry for fiscal year 2021.

House Bill 2802, a supplemental appropriation bill, increasing funds for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2021.

House Bill 2788, a supplemental appropriation bill to move expired funds from the State Excess Lottery Fund to the State General Revenue Fund for fiscal year 2021.

House Bill 2789, a supplemental appropriation bill, increases funds to the Public Defender Services Fund for fiscal year 2021.

Senate Bill 89 exempts certain private kindergarten and preschool programs from registration requirements.

Senate Bill 42 creates the Zombie Property Remediation Act of 2021.

House Bill 2701 authorizes the Division of Rehabilitation Services to approve training programs acceptable for training low vision individuals to obtain Class G driver’s license.

House Bill 2709 Provides that aggregate liability of a surety on a consumer protection bond under the West Virginia Fintech Regulatory Sandbox Program does not exceed the principal sum of the bond.

House Bill 2764 allows the Division of Financial Institutions to enter into reciprocity agreements with other jurisdictions that operate similar programs to the West Virginia Fintech Sandbox Program.

Senate Bill 182 authorizes the Commission of Agriculture to create rules relating to animal disease control.

Senate Bill 469 permits and establishes requirements for appearance by video for purpose of notarial acts.

Senate Bill 160 authorizes the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission to create rules relating to private club licensing.

Senate Bill 156 authorizes the Fire Commission to create rules relating to standards for certification and continuing education of municipal, county and other public sector building code officials, building code inspectors and plans examiners.

Senate Bill 305 provides exemptions from consumers sales and service tax for certain aircraft maintenance.

House Bill 2621 mandates certification for certain members of fire departments, requires training, and allows specialized personnel who are not firefighters to be members of a department.

Senate Bill 517 eliminates the requirement for all new legislative rules to have a five-year sunset date after the initial five-year sunset date. It allows the Secretary of State to conform all active legislative rules with sunset provisions to the requirements of this code.

House Bill 2854 adds a definition for “beneficiary” to the Municipal Police Officer and Firefighter Retirement System.

House Bill 2797 declares certain claims against the state to be moral obligations of the state and to authorize payments from general revenue funds, special revenue funds, and state road fund.

House Bill 2621 mandates certification for certain members of fire departments and requires certain types of training. It allows specialized personnel who are not firefighters to be members of a department.

House Bill 2905 repeals the use of “Doctor” or “Dr.” penalty on campaign advertising.

House Bill 2855 adds a definition for “beneficiary” to the Natural Police Officers Retirement System.

House Legislation (03/19/21-03/25/21)

As of Friday, March 26, 2021, 1307 bills have been introduced to the House. Of those bills, 137 have passed and advanced to the Senate.

House Bill 3130 eliminates the sunset prevision on towing rates.

House Bill 2914 removes the president of the historical society and the president of the historical association as ex officio voting members of the archives and history commission.

House Bill 2823 exempts buildings or structures used exclusively for agricultural purposes from the provisions of the State Building Code

House Bill 2808 removes salt from the list of “mineral” for severance tax purposes.

House Bill 2782 repeals domestic animal tax.

House Bill 2777 repeals municipal amusement tax.

House Bill 2742 provides authority to process an online driver’s license or ID renewal or reissue when an address update is needed. This would supersede current legislative rule.

House Bill 2633 creates the 2021 Farm Bill, which amends and updates code relating to agriculture.

House Bill 2499 reduces taxes for arms and ammo manufacturing.

House Bill 2496 changes appellate rights of property owners concerning valuation, classification, and taxability of real estate and personal property taxation.

House Bill 2174 is the West Virginia Monument and Memorial Protection Act of 2021.

House Bill 2920, a supplemental appropriation bill, adds funds from the Treasury to the Department of Health and Human Resources, Division of Health, Laboratory Services Fund.

House Bill 2899, a supplemental appropriation bill, adds funds to the Department of Commerce.

House Bill 2897, a supplemental appropriation bill, expires funds to certain accounts within the Department of Commerce.

House Bill 2829 provides for the amortization of annual funding deficiencies for municipal police or firefighter pension and relief funds.

House Bill 2796, a supplemental appropriation bill, expires funds of the West Virginia Development Office to the surplus balance of General Revenue.

House Bill 3010 extends the special valuation method for cellular towers to towers owned by person not subject to regulation to the Board of Public Works.

House Bill 2785 makes three changes: 1.) Parents make decision to remove their child from kindergarten program, 2.) Removes placement requirement to enroll in first grade for students who attend certain Montessori programs, and 3.) Requires that out-of-state students be placed in the grade from which they transferred.

House Bill 2760 amends the economic opportunity tax credit and the high technology manufacturing tax credit to provide more target and effective tax incentives for economic development.

House Bill 2630 requires the West Virginia DEP to pay back fines to political subdivisions if they make required upgrades or fixes in relation to those fines.

House Bill 2638, Mylissa Smith’s Law, creates patient visitation privileges during a pandemic.

House Bill 2195 requires the law-enforcement officer, within 24 hours of a vehicle crash, to share the owner/operator and insurance information for all the involved parties with all the other involved parties and/or their insurance agents.

House Bill 3215 amends the requirements to become an elected prosecutor.

House Bill 3177 removes outdated provisions and report requirements in education.

House Bill 3164 removes language that transportation is required to be charged with kidnapping.

House Bill 3045 deletes the July 1, 2023 sunset provision that would end a rebuttable presumption for a workers’ compensation benefits claim that a professional firefighter developed leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma arising out of and in the course of employment as a firefighter.

House Bill 2985 is the Second Chance at Life Act of 2021, which requires doctors to provide certain information when prescribing a chemical abortion.

House Bill 2874 extends the current veteran’s business fee waivers to active-duty members and their immediate family.

House Bill 2427 allows the Department of Health and Human Resources to create rules relating to behavior health center licensure.

House Bill 2029 relates to teacher preparation clinical experience programs.

House Bill 2028 exempts veterinarians from the requirements of controlled substance monitoring.

House Bill 3294 creates the Unemployment Insurance Program Integrity Act.

House Bill 3293 requires that a secondary student athlete’s participation in single-sex athletics be based upon the athlete’s biological sex as indicated on the athlete’s original birth certificate issued at the time of birth.

House Bill 3231 provides that public utilities not required to pay interest on security deposits held for up to eighteen months.

House Bill 3191 requires employers to notify retirants if their subsequent employment will negatively impact the retirant’s retired status or benefit.

House Bill 3137 accelerates the conversion of the transfer tax on the privilege of transferring real property from a state excise tax to a county excise tax,

House Bill 3107 declares the Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosed by a licensed psychiatrist is a compensable occupational disease for first responders and makes PTSD workers’ compensation coverage for first responders a voluntary program for employers.

House Bill 2953 clarifies that counties can hire firefighters as paid staff and to modify the existing procedures to include a referendum procedure by a county commission, as it relates to amending fire fees for counties.

House Bill 2792 allows new customers of natural gas to receive direct access from natural as supplies and modifies the ability of existing customers to receive direct access to natural gas service if the end user expands its existing service of 25 million cubic feet of natural gas per year or more.

Senate Legislation (03/19/21- 02/25/21)

As of Friday, March 25, 2021, 713 bills have been introduced to the Senate. Of those bills, 133 have passed and advanced to the House.

Senate Bill 562 establishes procedures for determining juvenile competency to stand trial and creates a disposition alternative for juveniles determined to be incompetent.

Senate Bill 626 regulates purchases of automobile catalytic converters. This bill would create a crime for possessing a catalytic converter without documented proof of legal purchase.

Senate Bill 532 limits claims for state tax credits and rebates.

Senate Bill 531 relates to incomplete, duplicative, or redundant claims for refund.

Senate Bill 422 deals with a legal action known as “piercing the veil,” which means a court essentially holding the members of an LLC personally responsible if their business runs afoul of the law. It is a practice used with litigation involving corporations.

Senate Bill 636 requires courses in all public, private, parochial, and denominational schools for instruction of the institutions and structure of American government.

Senate Bill 569 establishes limits applicable to the award of damages for medical monitoring.

Senate Bill 36 requires the Legislative Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission and authorizing the inspection of records and examination of personnel.

Senate Bill 693 updates certain terms used in WV Personal Income Tax Act.

Senate Bill 479 moves authority for the West Virginia veterans service decoration and West Virginia Service Cross to the Division of Veterans Affairs.

Senate Bill 478 permits the use of established federal marketplace programs for the purchase of supplies.

Senate Bill 398 places a moratorium on coverage under the West Virginia PEIA unless the employer is the State, its boards, agencies, commissions, departments, institutions, or spending units or a county board of education.

Senate Bill 395 expands the PEIA Finance Board membership.

Senate Bill 586 provides a 50 percent discount on all fees and charges relating to state parks for West Virginia veterans.

Senate Bill 658 requires sheriff’s departments to participate and utilize Handle With Care Program for trauma-inflicted children.

Senate Bill 651 allows county boards of education to publish financial statements on website.

Senate Bill 644 Exempts certain persons pursuing degree in speech pathology and audiology from license requirements.

Senate Bill 610 provides tuition and fee waivers as state higher education institutions for volunteers who have completed service in AmeriCorps programs in WV.

Senate Bill 509 removes requirements that determination of medical stability be found prior to admission to mental health facility.

Senate Bill 487 updates the Division of Purchasing’s procurement and spending thresholds.

Senate Bill 483 allows others to be taken before any person authorized to administer oaths.

Senate Bill 361 extends supervision for conviction of soliciting a minor and using obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor.

Classifications Created for Criminal Felonies and Misdemeanors Advances

The Judiciary Committee met this morning and afternoon, advancing House Bill 2017.

House Bill 2017 was the entire focus of the morning meeting. Counsel explained the 404-page criminal code rewrite. The bill adds two new articles of code: Article 17 – Classification of Offenses and Authorized Disposition of Offenders and Article 18 – Restitution and Fines. For sentencing, felonies are classified in six categories, misdemeanors are classified in three categories, and petty offenses are not classified. Several articles of the criminal code have been rewrote to incorporate the new class system into it.

The Felony Classifications are as follows:

  • Class 1- Minimum: Life with Mercy, Maximum: Life without Mercy
  • Class 2- Minimum: 15 years, Maximum: 60 years
  • Class 3- Minimum: 5 years, Maximum: 30 years
  • Class 4- Minimum: 3 years, Maximum: 15 years
  • Class 5- Minimum: 2 years, Maximum: 10 years
  • Class 6- Minimum: 1 years, Maximum: 5 years

Fines for felonies are fixed at not more than $500,000 unless other provided.

The Misdemeanor Classification are as follows:

  • Class 1: 1 year maximum
  • Class 2: 6 months maximum
  • Class 3: 90 days maximum

Fines for misdemeanors are no more than $2,500 for a class 1, no more than $750 for a class 2, no more than $500 for a class 3, and no more than $300 for a petty offense.

Fines against enterprises, which are any entity other than an individual person, are as follows:

  • Class 1 felony: $10M
  • Class 2 felony: $5M
  • Class 3, 4, 5, and 6 felony: $1M
  • Class 1 misdemeanor: $100,000
  • Class 2 misdemeanor: $50,000
  • Class 3 misdemeanor: $10,000
  • Petty offense: $5,000

The committee recessed again and returned at 6:40 pm. They advanced six bills in the evening meeting.

House Bill 2997 adds a defense to civil penalty impose for a result of delivery of fuel to a state other than the destination state printed on the shipping document for fuel. This will update our code and bring it in line with surrounding states to collect taxes more properly.

House Bill 3089 makes utility workers essential employees during a state of emergency.

House Bill 2918 makes the Family Drug Treatment Court Program permanent.

House Bill 3030 authorizes the Commissioner of the Division of Highways to allow an increase of gross weight limitation and dimensional restrictions on certain roads in Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties.

House Bill 2884 provides protection for customers of municipality owned utilities.

House Bill 2730 allows a debtor in bankruptcy to use the federal law exemptions.

The Judiciary Committee will meet tomorrow at 9 am in 410M.

Senate Passes Bill Requiring Sheriffs to Utilize Handle With Care Program

The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would require sheriff’s departments in all 55 counties to participate and utilize the Handle With Care Program for trauma-inflicted children.

Senate Bill 658 would require sheriff’s departments to notify teachers after a child has been on the scene of a police incident. Whether it be a domestic dispute, a death, a car accident, a drug overdose, or any other incident where law enforcement has been called, the child’s teacher would be notified.

As of now, participation isn’t required by law, only suggested.

No details regarding the specific situations would be released to teachers, just a notification to handle the child with care. That could mean allowing the student to take a test at a later date, helping them with homework, forgiving a due date, or any number of things.

The lead sponsor of the bill, Senator Amy Grady (R-Mason, 04), a teacher, has seen first hand how kids can be affected in school following a traumatic experience.

“A little extra love, a little extra patience, a little more understanding, can go a long way, Grady said. This is a program that works.”

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

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 26, at 10 a.m.

All meetings are available for video streaming at our Legislature Live page.

Health and Human Resources will meet at 2:30 p.m. in 451M.

Energy, Industry and Mining will meet at 2:30 p.m. in 208W.

Education will meet at 3:30 p.m. in 451M.

Government Organization will meet at 3:30 p.m. in  208W.

Finance will meet at 4:30 p.m. in 451M.

Judiciary will meet at 4:30 p.m. in 208W.