The House Committee on Government Organization reported eight bills out of the committee today.
House Bill 2515 would enact the West Virginia Monument and Memorial Protection Act of 2017. There is no current law to protect these monuments. The historical significance would only be noted if the monument or memorial has an age of 50 years.
Delegate Caputo (D-Marion) questioned council to see if there was a provision in the bill to relocate the memorials or monuments and was assured by council that it was.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2935 relates to state flood protection planning. This bill would create a legislative joint interim committee to study flood protection and report back to the legislature. It would also create a council of experts to study the West Virginia flooding to report to the committee.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2897 would raise the amount required for competitive bidding of construction contracts by the state and its subdivisions.
James Meadows, general counsel from the purchasing division, said, “An agency that goes out to bid will be able to pick the alternates in the order they are listed. If the selection doesn’t impact who would be the lowest bid, then they can pick in any order.”
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2346 relates to motor vehicle plates. This bill would start a study as to if flat plates are more economically efficient than the embossed plates currently in use.
Delegate Marcum (D-Mingo) asked if the bill would take away the license plates making jobs away from inmates and was assured it wouldn’t. He then spoke in support of the bill.
An amendment to the bill by Delegate Hamrick (R-Harrison) to create a second study to find information about the privatization of creating the plates. The privatization of the making of the plates has worked for other states and this study would find out if this is a good idea for West Virginia as well. The amendment was adopted.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass as amended.
House Bill 3053 relates to motor vehicle lighting. This clarifies that as long as 60 percent of LED lights are lit, it is considered as functional.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2949 would exempt specified Division of Natural Resources’ contracts for some replacement, repair or design for repairs to facilities from review and approval requirements.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2788 would allow military veterans who were honorably discharged with certain military ratings to qualify for examinations required of a probationary firefighter. The veterans would have to meet all other requirements as well.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2939 relates to the sale of items in the State Police Academy post exchange to the public. There was an amendment to the bill to clear up technical issues. The amendment was adopted.
The bill was reported to the floor with the recommendation that it pass as amended but first be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
