The House of Delegates met this morning to discuss the bills on third reading.
House Bill 2002 relates to parental notification of abortions performed on emancipated minors. the bill would require that the doctor performing the abortion notify the parents in the case of a minor. the minor could get permission from a psychiatrist or psychologist or have the physician petition the court in order to bypass these steps.
Delegate Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) said, “I am in support of working in a bipartisan fashion. There are deep issues here but we listened, talked and heard each other. Thank you.”
The bill passed and was sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2196 relates to the secondary school’s athletic commission. The bill would let homeschool students play in extracurricular public school sports. They must not be 19, comply with all of the rules set by the public school, not be compensated, play for schools in their own district and be in good academic standing for the previous two years.
Delegate Fast (R-Fayette) said, “These homeschool parents pay the full array of taxes to fund these schools. Let’s let them participate in the programs provided.”
The bill passed and was sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2376 relates to the organizational structure of state government. The bill would make the bureau of Medical Services its own department that would answer to the governor and the legislature. The bill passed and was sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2453 expands the list of persons the Commissioner of Agriculture may license to grow or cultivate industrial hemp. The bill would put in place an application process to grow hemp and would be permitted at the discretion of the Department of Agriculture.
Delegate Marcum (D-Mingo) said, “This will help to diversify the economy in southern West Virginia. It will grow well on post-mine sites.”
The bill passed and was sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2561 relates to public school support.
Delegate Moye (D-Raleigh) said, “The bill does a lot of good things but I believe in my heart of hearts, what it does to school busses in the wrong thing to do.”
Delegate Espinosa (R-Jefferson) explained that the bill doesn’t change the repair standards for school busses but changes the way they are funded.
The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2589 would permit students who are homeschooled or attend private schools to enroll and take classes at the county’s vocational school. The students would only be admitted if there is space in the classrooms and if they have had all of the appropriate shots. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2653 would extend the Multi State Real-Time Tracking System. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2704 would prohibit persons convicted of sexual offenses against children with whom they hold positions of trust from holding certification or license valid in public schools. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2711 would abolish regional educational service agencies and provide for the transfer of property and records.
Delegate Zatezalo (R-Zatezalo) said, “I was concerned about eliminating RESAs because of all the services they provide, but I am encouraged by all the work the Committee on Education put in to making the transition smooth.
In response to some questions about firefighter education in particular, Delegate Espinosa said the bill gives counties the freedom to pick what services they deem necessary in the transition year. The bill would also give flexibility in the school calendar, testing standards on the local level and keeps everything in line with federal regulations. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2720 would allow the School Building Authority to transfer funds allocated into the School Construction Fund. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2771 relates to temporary teaching certificates for Armed Forces spouses. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2781 would require a person desiring to vote to present documentation identifying the voter to one of the poll clerks. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2794 relates to the means of giving notice to a debt collector of a consumer’s representation by legal counsel. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2804 would remove chiropractors from the list of medical professions required to obtain continuing education on mental health conditions common to veterans and family members.
Delegate Wilson (R-Berkeley) said his army friends don’t like going to the doctor because of the annoying questions brought up about their time overseas and that he is in favor of the bill.
The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2815 relates to higher education governance. The bill was amended and was approved. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2816 would eliminate new film tax credits. it would also raise the taxes on beer and soda.
Delegate Barrett (D-Berkeley) said the films and show being filmed in the eastern panhandle generate a lot of economic activity and they will leave if the credits were taken away.
Delegate McGeehan (R-Hancock) said, “I oppose the bill. How much are we going to extract from the private economy? I thought the republicans controlled this legislation. We sound like a bunch of prohibitionists. Many in the chamber said we will live within our means, but I guess this is just alcohol.”
The bill was rejected with a vote of 39 yeas and 60 nays.
House Bill 2878 would increase the amount of authorized Federal Grant Anticipation Notes for which the Division of Highways may apply. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2887 relates to retirement and separation incentives. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
Committee meetings announced:
Judiciary after floor session this evening and 8:45 a.m. tomorrow in 410M.
Public Hearing on SB 239 at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 30th.
Rules at 1:20 p.m. behind the chamber.
The House is in recess until 1:30 p.m.
