The House of Delegates met this afternoon to pass 17 bills on third reading and amend bills on second reading.
House Bill 2897 would raise the amount required for competitive bidding of construction contracts by the state and its subdivisions. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2930 would allow powerball hot lotto, and mega millions winners to remain anonymous. They would have to have one $1 million and up. Try to protect one from media, family or friend’s harassment. It would also make in an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2941 would require the Commissioner of the Division of Highways to utilize the Attorney General for all legal assistance and services. The purpose of the bill is to make the Division of Highways like all other agencies and have to ask for council from the Attorney General before seeking outside council. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2961 relates generally to charitable bingo games and charitable raffles. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate
House Bill 2962 would enlarge the authority of the Tax Commissioner to perform background investigations of employees and contractors. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2963 would eliminate the tax lien waiver requirement for estates of nonresidents. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2967 relates generally to administration of estates and trusts. The bill is meant to improve the service of the
House Bill 3006 would exempt certain contracts between the Department of Health and Human Resources and West Virginia University, Marshall University or the School for Osteopathic Medicine from state purchasing requirements. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 3022 relates to the reporting of fraud, misappropriation of moneys, and other violations of law to the commission of special investigations. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 3037 would remove the Division of Energy as an independent agency. It would direct it under a division of the Department of Commerce. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 3048 would relate to collection of Tier II fees for chemical inventories. The increase of fees would help to pay for training of first responders. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 3088 relates generally to teacher-pupil ratios.
Delegate Moye (D-Raleigh) said, “I have been in the Committee for Education for many years and we usually equate smaller class sizes. This bill does the opposite of that. It is going backwards.”
Delegate Rowan (R-Hampshire) said, “Sixth grade is a transitional year. They also have trouble with organizational skills due to more freedom. Bullying begins with feeder school’s children meeting each other. Instead of lowering the ratio we are making it higher. We are looking for more opportunities for bullying. Who are we really helping with this bill? I urge rejection of this bill.”
Delegate Hornbuckle (D-Cabell), Delegate E. Evans (D-McDowell), Delegate Marcum (D-Mingo), Delegate Iaguinta (D-Harrison), and Delegate Thompson (D-Wayne) rose also to oppose the bill.
Delegate Dean (R-Mingo) said, “The bill gives more flexibility to class sizes for these schools so I support the bill.”
Delegate Espinosa (R-Jefferson) said we are actually allowing more flexibility for the local schools. This can also help them with funding as well.
The bill was rejected with a vote of 45 yeas and 55 nays.
House Bill 3091 relates generally to employer withholding taxes. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 3095 would allow retired teachers to be employed by a higher education institution. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2109 relates to the West Virginia Land Reuse Agency Authorization Act. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2188 would extend the length of time for the special Community-Based Pilot Demonstration Project to Improve Outcomes for At-Risk Youth. The timeline would be extended from four to seven year. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2520 would prohibit the use of a tanning device by a person under the age of 18. Minors would have to receive written consent from a parent or guardian in order to use a salon.
Delegate Summers (R-Taylor) said, “The risk of cancers from these beds are drastically increased in those under 25. Melanoma is an aggressive cancer that takes young people’s lives.”
The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
House Bill 2552 would increase the pet food registration fee and direct that the additional money be deposited into the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Fund. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate.
All bills on second reading were moved to third reading with no amendments except for HB 3062, which was amended by Delegate Shott (R-Mercer).
Senate Bill 437 was attempted to be amended by Delegate Fluharty (D-Ohio) to have an economic impact study done on the bill.
Delegate Storch (R-Ohio) said, “I think an economic impact study would make logical sense so that we can see what the impact would be statewide.”
Delegate Nelson (R-Kanawha) said, “The pensions have been preserved by the actions taken up by the Senate. That is why we are taking up this bill now.”
Delegate Canestraro (D-Marshall) said, “I’m appalled that we are being told to rely on a study done in January of 2014. Things change. This cut will devastate all of those involved in this industry.”
Delegate Fluharty (D-Ohio) said, “We have a duty to do the right thing here.”
The amendment was not adopted.
Delegate Eldridge (D-Lincoln) moved to amend the Senate Bill 437 to take the funds designated to the Greyhound Breeding Development Fund and put them in the State Road Fund.
Delegate Nelson (R-Kanawha) said there are other bills that will help the road fund. This is the wrong facility to do that with and will hurt the budget as the funds as of now would be going to the General Revenue Fund.
The amendment was not adopted.
Senate Bill 437 was moved to lie over one day.
The House then received committee reports.
The House is adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.
