The Senate Judiciary Committee met this afternoon and advanced two bills on establishing the First Amendment Preservation Act and county attorney obligations for refusal of review hearings.
Senate Bill 531 would establish the First Amendment Preservation Act.
This bill would prevent the state of West Virginia and its agencies from contracting with media monitoring or fact-checking organizations. Hiring advertising or marketing companies that use certain media monitors would be prohibited.
State agencies are prohibited from the following:
- Â Entering into a contract with any media monitoring organization
-  An advertising or marketing agency that utilizes the services of a media monitoring organization for the agency’s contract or agreement
- Â Provide support of any form, other than nondiscretionary actions required by law, to a media monitoring organization.
The bill is intended to preserve viewpoint neutrality in state spending and avoid government involvement in determining which news sources are credible or acceptable.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.
Senate Bill 575 clarifies existing law regarding refusal review hearings for drivers accused of DUI and of refusing a chemical test.
This bill would clarify that county prosecuting attorneys are required to handle all legal matters in these hearings on behalf of the state and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Testimony informed the committee that the clarification is needed because in several recent instances, the DMV has tried to become a part to the proceedings.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.
