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Friday, August 22, 2025
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House Education Advances Bill to Create Business PROMISE+ Program

Cheyenne DeBolt
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House Education Advances Bill to Create Business PROMISE+ Program

Today, the House Education Committee advanced House Bill 2308, which would create the Business PROMISE+ Program. The program would allow West Virginia employers to fund premium scholarships for certain PROMISE-eligible applicants. The bill assigns the management of the program to the Higher Education Policy Commission. A student may receive either the PROMISE Scholarship or the Business PROMISE+ Scholarship, but not both, during any single academic term.

Any West Virginia business donating $10,000 or more to the Business PROMISE+ Program shall receive a tax credit of 50 percent of the donation. Eligible businesses may also sponsor eligible students. The sponsorship is an agreement from the business to provide summer work to the student during the summer months during the student’s college years.

Any student who is eligible for the PROMISE Scholarship is also eligible to receive the Business PROMISE+ Scholarship. To apply for the Business PROMISE+ Program, the student must complete the application, listing up to three eligible businesses the student has an interest in working. To receive the award, the sponsored student must agree to maintain requirements for a PROMISE Scholarship, work for the sponsoring business during summers, and work in West Virginia after college graduation for the period equal to the number of years the student received the scholarship.

House Bill 2308 was amended to state that a business owner could not sponsor an immediate family member. This amendment was made as a nepotism clause.  The bill moves on for consideration in House Finance.

The Committee also discussed House Bill 2143, which would allow retired bus operators to work as substitutes without affecting their monthly retirement.

The House Education Committee will meet again tomorrow at 2 pm.

House Bill 2013 Moved to Senate

Cheyenne DeBolt
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House Bill 2013 Moved to Senate

Today, the House passed House Bill 2013, which would establish the Hope Scholarship Program. This program would provide funds to eligible recipients for personal education accounts to be used for qualifying education expenses, for example, private or homeschooling. The scholarship funds could be used for tuition, textbooks, and other services. Upon passage, the bill would allow current public-school students to take advantage of other educational options through scholarships. In a floor amendment, current private school and homeschool students would qualify for this scholarship beginning in 2026.

House Bill 2007 also passed from the House. It would provide occupational licenses and other authorizations to practice to qualified applicants from other states.

Four bills were on second reading today. House Bill 2003 and House Bill 2009 were amended.

The House is adjourned until 11 am tomorrow.

Committee Meetings

Today

Tomorrow

Tax Bills Complete, Alternate Certification and In-Field Masters Pass

Christopher Marshall
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Tax Bills Complete, Alternate Certification and In-Field Masters Pass

During floor session on Thursday, the Senate suspended the constitutional rules requiring a bill be read on three separate days, to complete action on two yearly tax update measures that become the first two bills completed during the 2021 Regular Session.

The legislation, House Bill 2358 and House Bill 2359, update the meaning of federal adjusted gross income and federal taxable income as it relates to the West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act and the West Virginia Corporation Net Income Tax Act.

Also on Thursday, the body passed Senate Bill 14, which would provide additional options for alternative certification for teachers and Senate Bill 15, which relates to in-field master’s degrees for teachers.

Senate Bill 15 prohibits teachers from receiving a pay increase “for any education level above A.B. plus 15” unless they have received a master’s degree that directly connects to their field. This would not affect teachers who are currently teaching and have already received a master’s degree, regardless of field.

The intent is to encourage teachers to pursue master’s degrees in the subjects they teach to help strengthen their effectiveness. They would receive a salary increase once the degree is attained.

These bills now head to the House for consideration.

The Senate also introduced 35 bills on Thursday.

The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m.

The Senate has a full committee schedule this afternoon as follows:

Health and Human Resources will meet at 1 p.m. in 451M.

Government Organization will meet at 2 p.m. in 208W.

Education will meet at 2 p.m. in 451M.

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

Finance will meet today at 3 p.m. and tomorrow at 9 a.m. in 451M.

House Judiciary Advances Two Bills

Cheyenne DeBolt
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House Judiciary Advances Two Bills

The House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would allow for other offenses to be included in the juvenile restorative justice program.

House Bill 2094, as amended, allows for the juvenile restorative justice program to include other offenses by removing the limiting language in the code. The juvenile restorative justice program is a voluntary option for the victim and juvenile offender to enter with the focus of repairing harm through communication and mediation. The victim controls the situation and decides the consequences to repair the harm. If the offender does not want to complete the program, then the offender serves the time for the crime. However, if the offender chooses to proceed with the juvenile restorative justice program, a mediator helps determine when the program has been completed by the offender.

The committee also advanced House Bill 2184, which would increase the criminal penalties for the exposure of governmental representatives to fentanyl or any other harmful drug or chemical agent.

House Elevates Economic Development Office and Tourism Office to Cabinet Level.

Admin
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House Elevates Economic Development Office and Tourism Office to Cabinet Level.

Today, The House of Delegates passed House Bill 2019, which seeks to reorganize and redesignate the Development Office as the Department of Economic Development and the Tourism Office as the Department of Tourism to reflect the importance of economic development and of tourism programs and initiatives in this state.

Two other bills on third reading were also passed from the House Special Calendar.

Another bill, House Bill 2002, relating to Broadband, which had been placed on the House Calendar earlier in the week, was placed on the House Special Calendar on 2nd Reading by the Rules Committee and referred to the House Technology and Infrastructure Committee.

Meanwhile, two bills, House Bill 2536 and House Bill 2582, were moved from the House Special Calendar to the House Calendar on 2nd and 1st Reading by the Rules COmmittee, respectively.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.

The see the schedule of meetings for today, click here.

 

 

 

 

Senate Passes Rules Bundle, Advances Five Bills

Christopher Marshall
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Senate Passes Rules Bundle, Advances Five Bills

The Senate passed a Department of Commerce rules bundle and advanced five other bills during a brief floor session Wednesday morning.

Senate Bills 302-325 were introduced.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.

The Senate has a full committee schedule this afternoon as listed below:

Economic Development will meet at 1 p.m. in 208W.

Pensions will meet at 2 p.m. in 451M.

Agriculture and Rural Development will meet at 2 p.m. in 208W.

Finance will meet today at 3 p.m. and tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in 451M.

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

Health and Human Resources will meet in 451M 15 minutes after the adjournment of the Judiciary meeting.

As always, visit are Legislature Live page to stream meetings.

 

House Passes Charter School Legislation

Admin
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House Passes Charter School Legislation

Today, the House met today and passed House Bill 2012, which relates to public charter schools. Among provisions, this bill would add virtual public charter schools as an option and would increase the total of number of potential public charter schools. The Bill now heads to the Senate for their consideration.

All other bills on Third Reading today were also passed and sent to the Senate for their consideration and concurrence. Additionally, three bills, including House Bill 2019, which would elevate the Economic Development and Tourism Departments to Cabinet level, were read a second time and advanced to the passage stage for tomorrow.

Thirty-eight bills were introduced today in the House of Delegates.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, February 17, at 11 a.m.

Government Organization will meet today at 2 p.m. in 215E.

Judiciary will meet today at 4 p.m. in 215 E.

Finance will hold a budget Hearing for DHHR at 4 p.m. in the House Chamber.

Tomorrow Morning, Agriculture and Natural Resources will meet at 8 a.m. in 215E; Banking and Insurance will meet at 9 a.m. in the House Chamber; Small Business and Economic Development will meet at 10 a.m. in 215E; Pensions and Retirement will meet at 10 a.m. in 460M; and, Rules will meet at 10:45 a.m. in 410M.

Senate Passes First Bills of Session, Sends Eight Items to House

Christopher Marshall
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Senate Passes First Bills of Session, Sends Eight Items to House

The Senate passed its first bills of the 2021 Regular Session on Tuesday, as eight pieces of legislation moved to the House for further consideration.

Among the bills passed, Senate Bill 9 continues the Licensed Racetrack Modernization Fund. Senate Bill 10 modifies the due date of the racetrack table game renewal license fee from July 1 to October 1. This action is in line with many of the Governor’s modifications to fee dates during the pandemic.

Senate Bill 78 corrects erroneous cross-references within the section of code relating to factors considered in awarding spousal support and separate maintenance.

Senate Bills 298-301 were introduced today.

The Senate has a full committee schedule this afternoon. Meetings, locations and times are listed below:

Health and Human Resources will meet at 1 p.m. in 451M.

Energy, Industry and Mining will meet at 1 p.m. in 208W.

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 3:15 p.m. in 208W.

Workforce will meet tomorrow at 10 a.m. in 208W. Check back for an updated agenda closer to the meeting time.

As always, you can stream meetings live at our Legislature Live page.

The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m.

First Two Bills Pass From the House of Delegates.

Admin
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First Two Bills Pass From the House of Delegates.

This morning, the House of Delegates met on the floor and received committee reports.

Two bills reported from the House Finance Committee, House Bill 2358 which would update the meaning of federal adjusted gross income and certain other terms used in West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act, and House Bill 2359, which would update the meaning of the federal taxable income and certain other terms used in the West Virginia Corporation Net Income Tax Act, both were read a first time. Following the suspension of the rule requiring a bill be read on three separate days, the two bills were read a second and third time and passed.

The House also continued discussion on legislation on the House Special Calendar. Five bills were advanced from 2nd reading to 3rd Reading for tomorrow and three bills were read a first time.

Additionally, prior to session the House Rules Committee moved four bills on second reading and a joint resolution on first reading from the House Special Calendar to the House Calendar.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, February 16 at 11 a.m.

The Live Meeting page is updated to reflect today’s committee meetings.

Tomorrow, House Energy will meet at 9 a.m. in the House Chamber.

Senate Advances 10 Bills on Presidents Day

Christopher Marshall
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Senate Advances 10 Bills on Presidents Day

The Senate advanced 10 bills, eight to third reading and two to second reading, during a brief floor session Monday morning. Those eight bills are on schedule for a Tuesday vote, as the first Senate bills passed in the 2021 Regular Session.

The Senate has a busy committee schedule this afternoon. Meeting times for this afternoon and tomorrow morning are listed as follows:

Natural Resources will meet at 1 p.m. in 208W.

Banking and Insurance will meet at 2 p.m. in 451M

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

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

Transportation and Infrastructure will meet tomorrow at 10 a.m. in 451M.

As always, visit our Legislative Live page to stream meetings.

The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m.

 

 

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