The House Committee on Technology and Infrastructure convened at 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25 to consider legislation on the 48th Day of the legislative session. On this day, the committee considered and advanced seven Senate Bills concerning state agency laws.
The Technology and Infrastructure committee had a consideration of Senate Bill 3, a piece of legislation similar to House Bill 2005. Upon receiving House Bill 2005, the Senate split the ideas into several individual bills. Senate Bill 3 is very similar to the small facilities deployment provisions included in the House bill.
Senate Bill 3 would establish the West Virginia Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act and provide for access to public rights-of-way for the collocation of small wireless facilities. Senate Bill 3 would also provide for the collection of fees and also sets the amount of fees. The bill also lays out requirements for how the state can regulate pole attachments. During the committee meeting, the bill went under some technical amendments.
Senate Bill 3, after a little discussion surrounding the differences between it and House Bill 2005, was unanimously voted upon to be advanced as amended to the House Floor with the recommendation that it pass, but it first goes to the House Judiciary Committee for a second reference.
The committee also had a consideration of Senate Bill 10, a bill that would mandate that court-ordered restitution to victims of a crime is not subject to the administrative cost off-set provision of the Second Chance Driver’s License Act.
The Second Chance Driver’s License Act is a state program that allows for the temporary reinstatement of an individual’s driver’s license that has been suspended or revoked due to failure to pay court restitution as a result of a motor vehicle violation or has failed to appear in court when charged with a criminal offense.
This bill, which would eliminate the administrative overhead cost associated with the program, was unanimously advanced by the committee and advanced to the House Finance Committee for a second consideration.
Senate Bill 55 was tabled on this day due to what was deemed to be vague language within the bill. This bill would prohibit holders of a Level 3 WV Driver’s License under the age of 18 from using a wireless communication device while driving. Concern was raised among the committee members regarding what constituted as a wireless communication device, especially considering the fact that most Bluetooth enabled devices can be accessed through the steering wheel. For these reasons, Senate Bill 55 was tabled.
The committee also had consideration of Senate Bill 153, a bill to provide greater flexibility for making infrastructure project grants. The bill would increase the maximum amount of grant funding from 20 percent to 25 percent. Additionally, the bill would increase the maximum amount of aggregate state funding from $100,000 to $500,000 annually. This money, which comes from the WV Lottery, would be intended to provide more flexibility and more time efficiency for state infrastructure projects.
Senate Bill 153 was approved by the committee, and advanced to the House Finance Committee with the recommendation that it pass.
Senate Bill 190 was another bill advanced during today’s Technology and Infrastructure meeting. This bill would update the Division of Highways payment plan and amends their employment procedures pursuant to the new payment plan. This bill was advanced to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Senate Bill 297 would extend expiration of military members’ spouses’ driver’s licenses for six months after active military duty. Currently, military members are able to extend the expiration of their driver’s licenses for six extra months after they are finished with their active duty activities. This bill would extend that provision to their spouses, allowing them to do the same thing.
This bill was passed by the committee, as was an amendment proposed by Delegate Danny Hamrick, R-Harrison. The amendment would also add people working out of the United States on behalf of the state and federal government, allowing them to get similar expiration extensions. As amended, Senate Bill 297 was advanced to the House Finance committee.
Senate Bill 542 was also advanced to the House Finance committee on this day. This bill, which was passed by the committee with little discussion, would permit an applicant who qualifies for both a military-related exempt and non-exempt vehicle plate, to choose one non-exempt plate instead of one exempt plate without having to pay registration fees. This would allow qualifying individuals to choose to have a plate exemptible that is usually not exemptible.
