The House Judiciary Committee met this morning.
House Bill 5406 would make the WV State Police Forensic Laboratory responsible for certification, standards, and administration of secondary chemical tests. The bill also makes the forensic laboratory responsible for approving the devices and methods used in preliminary breath analysis. This bill was reported to the floor.
House Bill 5416 would give trustees and pastors the authority to make a deal with only one trustee and the pastor, whether it be for borrowing money or encumbering property. This bill was reported to the floor.
House Bill 5444 would increase the fees paid by parolees based on their ability to pay, from $40 to $50. This fee would be only for the supervision. This bill was reported to the floor.
House Bill 5449 would repeal the Addiction Treatment Pilot Program since the pilot program no longer exists. This bill was reported to the floor.
House Bill 5454 would clarify the committee’s oversight authority over the West Virginia Fusion Center and direct the Legislative Auditor to conduct an annual audit of the Fusion Center. This bill was reported to the floor.
Senate Bill 84 would prohibit law enforcement from installing a surveillance camera on private land without obtaining consent from a property owner or a search warrant. This bill does not prohibit law enforcement from placing surveillance cameras where they are lawful right to be and facing a location on any land that is open to public view.
House Bill 4604 would increase the compensation of all panel attorneys and guardians ad litem. Panel attorneys would be compensated at a rate of at least $100 per hour of work. Guardians ad litem would receive compensation of at least $40 per hour of work. The bill also creates an assistant guardian ad litem position.
House Bill 5067 would clarify that law-enforcement agencies can enter into agreements with the Department of Homeland Security to seek certain grant funds.
House Bill 5206 would require a permit to be needed for panhandling. Under this bill, panhandling is prohibited in specific areas, which include, but are not limited to, a bus stop or train stop, on any street, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or public property, on private property, unless the panhandler has written permission from the owner or occupant of the private property. This bill would also make panhandling prohibited before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
This bill was not advanced to markup and discussion after concerns were raised about constitutional conflicts.
