The House convened for day four of the extraordinary session this morning. The second extraordinary session adjourned this evening.
House Rules moved House Bill 209, House Bill 210, and House Bill 220 from the House Special Calendar to the inactive House Calendar. House Bill 224 and House Bill 227 were moved to the foot of bills.
During committee reports, the House read the following bills a second time:
House Bill 216 provides $10.9 million to the Office of Technology for upgrades, including cloud storage.
House Bill 230 provides $1 million to the Department of Education for the safe schools program. This funding would be used for locks, cameras, and equipment that can be used to keep schools safe.
House Bill 245 provides $5 million to the Office of Emergency Medical Services for the Statewide EMS Program.
The Rules were suspended to bring the above bills up for passage.
House Bill 241 and HB 239 were moved to third with the right to amend.
On third reading today, House Bill 212 was passed. The bill provides $22 million to the Higher Education Policy Commission, $5 million to the EMS training and $17 million to the Nursing Program.
During Senate Messages, the House dispensed with committee referral and suspended rules to consider the following bills:
Senate Bill 2021, Senate Bill 2022, and Senate Bill 2024 are all supplemental appropriations for the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Senate Bill 2021 and 2022 provide $32.5 million to be split between the adult facilities, the juvenile facilities, and for the acquiring of the Stevens Corrections Center. Senate Bill 2024 provides $15 million spending authority to the Division. The $15 million are funds already available to the Division; this just allows them to spend it.
Senate Bill 2033 reduces the personal income tax by two percent, returning $46 million to taxpayers. This tax reduction is not apart of the incremental tax reduction plan; it is a separate reduction.
Senate Bill 2034 provides $175 thousand of surplus to the WV State Police for capital outlay and repairs.
Senate Bill 2036 provides funding to West Virginia University, Marshall University, Concord University and Shepherd University based on the school formula.
Senate Bill 2037 provides funding to New River Community and Technical College based on the school formula.
Senate Bill 2038 transfers $15 million of unused funds from the Treasurer’s Office Unclaimed Property Fund to the General Revenue Surplus Fund.
Senate Bill 2039 provides $15 million to the Civil Contingent Fund for deferred maintenance at college and universities.
Senate Bill 2028 was moved to the foot of Senate Messages with amendments pending.
The House rejected suspending rules for Senate Bill 2029, Senate Bill 2031, Senate Bill 2027, and Senate Bill 2042.
The House is in recess until 4:30 p.m. The recess was extended to 5 p.m.
When the House returned, committee reports were taken up.
House Bill 218 provides $1.15 million to the WV Conservation Agency for Soil Conservation Projects. The project is for the Brush Creek #15 Dam Rehabilitation.
House Bill 244 places a limited moratorium on new municipal fire fees imposed on non-municipal residents.
The House returned to the calendar.
Senate Bill 2032 provides $10 million to the Department of Agriculture to help farmers with drought relief.
House Bill 227 was amended and passed. The bill authorizes public charter schools to apply for funding from the School Building Authority to purchase a building to be used for public charter school purposes.
House Bill 224 was postponed.
Senate messages were received.
The House concurred with the Senate to complete House Bill 208. The bill sets the framework for the state to become an agreement state with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill keeps the Department of Health as the State Radioactive Control Agency and allows for certain low-level materials to be controlled by the state instead of the federal government.
Senate Bill 2035 was amended and passed. The bill provides funding to the Economic Development Authority for broadband expansion.
Senate Bill 2029 was brought before the House again. The Rules were suspended to read the bill a second and third time. A motion was adopted to postpone the bill indefinitely.
Senate Bill 2031 allocates $5 million the School Building Authority for charter school construction grants.
Senate Bill 2028 was brought before the House again. The bill permits an opioid treatment program to be developed as part of a clinical trial approved by an institutional review board. The treatment program is required to be registered with the Board of Pharmacy. The limited clinical trial is the study of office-based methadone versus buprenorphine to address retention in medication for opioid use disorder treatment. The bill was amended to clarify that the clinical trials would a one-time trial.
The House returned to receive the Senate messages. The Senate concurred with the House amendment to Senate Bill 2028.
The House is adjourned sine die.Â
