House Government Organization met today and moved two bills.
House Bill 2265 provides legislative rule-making authority to the Board of Pharmacy relating to collaborative Pharmacy practice.
House Bill 2290 provides for fair pay and maximizes the employment of disabled persons. It creates a WV “Employment First” policy to encourage agencies to employ disabled persons. It also establishes a task force to initiate these policies.
Today, the House of Delegates passed two bills on to the Senate.
House Bill 2008 changes requirements for licensing elevator mechanics, HVAC, electricians, and plumbers.
House Bill 2235 set penalties for violating the State Lottery Act, relating to forgery and counterfeiting of lottery tickets. It was amended on third reading to lessen the penalty to a misdemeanor and set the penalty to no more than one year.
Three bills were on second reading today, no amendments were offered.
Committees
Today
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 pm today in Room 215E.
The Education Committee will meet at 2 pm today in the House Chamber.
The Finance Committee will meet at 4 pm today in the House Chamber.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 4pm today in 215E.
Tomorrow
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet tomorrow at 9 am in Room 215E.
The Committee on Energy and manufacturing will meet tomorrow at 9 am in the House Chamber.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1pm today in 215E.
The Senate passed a bill creating the Covid-19 Jobs Protection Act, as well as a measure relating to the West Virginia Employment Law Worker Classification Act, during Friday’s floor session.
Senate Bill 277, the Covid-19 Jobs Protection Act, provides immunity from civil liability for damages for an injury resulting from exposure to COVID-19 on the premises owned or managed by another person, so long as that person was acting in compliance or consistent with applicable federal or state regulations, an Executive Order of the Governor, or other such guidance.
Immunity does not apply to willful or wanton misconduct, reckless or intentional infliction of harm, or gross negligence. The legislation is retroactive to the date on which the state of emergency was declared in West Virginia.
Senate Bill 272, which relates to the West Virginia Employment Law Worker Classification Act, is intended to simplify criteria used to define independent contractors, and to impose objective standards on the differences between independent contractors and employees
These bills now head to the House of Delegates for consideration.
Senate Bills 361-371 were introduced today.
The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m.
Today, House Bill 2013, which passed the House yesterday, was reconsidered and recommitted to the Committee on Finance. It has been recommitted to consider the new fiscal note.
Five Bills were passed on to the Senate.
House Bill 2003 would clarify the authority and obligations of the Governor and Legislature in declaring states of preparedness and emergencies.
House Bill 2009 would limit the use of wages and agency shop fees by employers and labor organizations for political activities. It would prohibit employers from intimidating employees to make political contributions or engage in political activity. It would, also, prohibit employers from withholding or diverting employee’s pay for political activities, unless given written authorization.
House Bill 2014 specifies that the Legislature is to appropriate federal funds by the state constitution. It limits the gubernatorial authority to spend federal funds without the appropriation of the Legislature.
House Bill 2325 would remove the requirement for barbers and cosmetologists to complete continuing education to renew their licenses. Currently, barbers and cosmetologists are required to complete two hours of continuing education until they have 10 years of experience. After 10 years of experience, they are required to complete two hours every other year. The bill would also prevent the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists from regulating the use of beauty products that are commonly available as retail, consumer products.
House Bill 2366 would require agencies proposing rules that would adjust fees or other special revenues to provide a fiscal note to the committee.
Of the two bills on second reading today, House Bill 2008 was amended.
The House is adjourned until 11 am Monday, February 22, 2021.
Committee Meetings
Today
Monday, February 22, 2021
This morning, the House Judiciary Committee advanced two bills to the House Floor.
House Bill 2165 would create the crime of theft of rental, leased, leased-purchased, and loaned property. If a person fails to return the property or make arrangements acceptable to the owner within 72 hours of receiving proper notice, then the individual could be subject to fines or jail time, if convicted. The bill creates misdemeanor and felony offenses.
House Bill 2372 would allow for candidates to file pre-candidacy papers the day after a general election. Currently, successful candidates cannot file pre-candidacy papers until their term has begun, while unsuccessful candidates can file pre-candidacy papers the day after a general election. This bill is to clean up current code language to state anyone can file pre-candidacy papers the day after a general election.
House Bill 2257 was discussed during the meeting. The bill would add to the current code to requires extended supervision for certain drug offenders. The extended supervision would be required to take place after the regular sentence. A judge can decide to sentence the individual to extended supervision from one to 10 years for possession or possession with intent to distribute or manufacture certain schedule I or II drugs. The bill has been postponed until the Judiciary Meeting on Tuesday, February 23.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
