The Senate met briefly Monday evening to receive House messages and committee reports.
The body concurred in the House amendments and completed action on two Senate bills
Senate Bill 256 is a Department of Environmental Protection rules bill. These rules cover a range of air and water quality issues, including alternative emission limitations during startup and shutdown operations, ambient air quality standards, standards for new stationary sources, control of air pollution from solid waste combustion, and regulations for hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.
Additionally, the bill authorizes rules concerning emission standards for hazardous air pollutants, a cross-state air pollution rule to manage nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emissions, a hazardous waste management system, requirements for water quality standards, and a fee schedule for carbon dioxide sequestration.
Senate Bill 640 prohibits the release of certain personal information of contributors to political elections. The legislation enhances the privacy of individuals who contribute to political elections in West Virginia by prohibiting the public release of their street address and employer information, referred to as “major business affiliation” in the bill. It amends existing laws to define these terms and adds a new section that prevents this sensitive information from being disclosed on government websites or through public records requests, with exceptions for disclosure to government entities for authorized purposes.
The bill also mandates that financial statements for local elections (municipal, county, or other non-statewide elections) be filed with the Secretary of State starting January 1, 2027, and introduces penalties for violations, including a civil penalty of $1,000 for government entities that fail to remove protected information after notification, and a misdemeanor criminal penalty for state or local officers or employees who knowingly and willfully disclose this information. Additionally, the bill removes a previous prohibition on distinguishing between different types of entities when reporting contributions and clarifies that candidate committees are considered one entity for contribution limits if a candidate influences more than one.
These bills now head to the Governor’s desk.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m.Â
Morning Meetings for Feb. 24:
Education at 9:30 a.m. in 451M
Government Organization at 9:30 a.m. in 208W
Subcommittee for SB114 in The Senate Clerk’s Conference Room (215E) at 10:30 a.m.
