The House of Delegates convened at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb 8 on the 31st day of the legislative session to consider legislation. On this day, 13 bills were on third reading in the House, all of which were passed.
Senate Bill 240 was considered with amendments pending. This bill would remove certain specific legislative rules that are considered either obsolete or no longer applicable.
Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, D-Monogalia, proposed an amendment which passed the House unanimously. The amendment removed the removal of two specific rules regarding the regulation of a hazardous chemical, and a mental health parity rule.
The House Judiciary Committee also offered a strike-and-insert amendment to Senate Bill 240, which added four rules that were also ruled upon to be obsolete. This amendment also passed unanimously.
As amended, the House of Delegates advanced Senate Bill 240 unanimously.
The House also had a consideration of Senate Bill 354. The bill would provide for a supplemental appropriation requested by the State Auditor’s Office. The supplemental would expire $1.5 million dollars from the Auditor’s Offices’ Securities Regulation fund and re appropriate them to the Auditor’s Office Chief Inspector’s Fund. The bill passed the House and was voted to be effective from its passage.
The House passed House Bill 2392, which would allow 1-day licenses to be issued by the Alcoholic Beverages Commission for charitable events. This would allow those who are hosting a charitable event to apply for a single day license to sell non-intoxicating alcohol, such as beer and wine.
House Bill 2528 was tabled, on account of a very similar Senate Bill passing the House yesterday.
House Bill 2545 passed through the House of Delegates on this day as well. This bill would exempt purple heart recipients and other military veterans receiving other specific distinguished awards from paying a state vehicle registration fee. West Virginia individuals who qualify for this exemption would be allowed to put it towards one noncommercial vehicle.
House Bill 2546 is a bill that would exclude the value of durable medical equipment or mobility enhancing equipment when determining the value of the vehicle when deciding on the tax on the certification of title of the vehicle. This bill also passed through the House.
House Bill 2554 would establish attendance zones in the state that would designate which schools a student would attend. The bill would also allow counties to voluntarily have “open enrollment” policies which would allow students to transfer into a school without preclearance from their original school, as current statute mandates. After discussion, this bill passed the House.
Another bill that was passed through the House was a bill that would require the review and approval of state property leases by requiring two signatures and the review and approval of leasing of state property to nongovernment entities. House Bill 2601 passed through the House with little discussion.
House Bill 2696 was also passed, a bill to would create a naming convention to records lands owned by the state in an index system for easy cross-reference to county indexes. This would create an index system for attorneys searching for title information that would be specific to each county.
House Bill 2737 was also passed, a bill to provide professional training to the State Tax Division employees.
The House also had a consideration of and passed House Bill 2740, a bill that specified the instances in which parent can get inheritance from a child and vice versa. This bill would specify that in the state of West Virginia, a parent cannot take their child’s inheritance if their parental rights have been or could have been taken away. It also provides that as long as there isn’t a present will, a child can reap inheritance from a parent who does not have parental rights. This bill would ensure that a child can still receive inheritance.
House Bill 2746 was considered with amendments pending. House Bill 2746 would provide a mechanism that would allow state counties to close outstanding and unclaimed estates. Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, proposed an amendment to make a minor technical change to the bill, which passed.
Delegate Tom Fast, R- Fayette, also moved to amend the bill. His amendment would strike language from the legislation that would add liability to the executor and/or personal representative of the estate, and make them responsible for claims made against the estate.
Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, spoke against the bill, saying that the language helps to hold personal representatives accountable to their obligations regarding the estate. He maintained that the structure of the bill is upheld whether or not the amendment is passed.
Delegate Larry Rowe, D- Kanawha, spoke in favor of Delegate Fast’s amendment. He argued in favor of passing the bill, but doing so without incurring liability.
The amendment proposed by Delegate Fast was passed, as was House Bill 2746 overall.
House Bill 2759 was also passed, a bill allowing ancillary administration of the estate of nonresident decedents. The bill, if passed, would provide a personal representative to file an affidavit to evidence the probate of a will in another jurisdiction. This intent of the proposed legislation is to make the transfer of property easier in the state when a loved one passes.
House Bill 2815 is a bill that would raise the monetary value of goods that are taken in a larceny to $2500. It was passed as well.
Bills on second reading that were advanced without amendment include Senate Bill 257, House Bill 2365, House Bill 2468, House Bill 2583, and House Bill 2661.
House Bill 2809 was amended on second reading. Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, moved to make a technical amendment that would clarify the penalty clause of the bill.
All bills on first reading were advanced.
The House is adjourned until 11a.m. on Monday, February 11th.
There will be three public hearings occurring on Monday, February 11th.
-The House Committee on Finance will host two public hearings on Senate Bill 451. One occurring at 8:00 a.m., and one occurring at 5:30 p.m. Both are in the House Chamber.
-The House Committee on the Judiciary will host a public hearing regarding House Bill 2519 at 2 p.m. in the House Chamber.
Committees Meeting Today:
- The House Committee on Judiciary will continue their posted agenda at 1:30 p.m in 418-M.
- The House Committee on Education will continue their posted agenda regarding Senate Bill 451 at 2:30 p.m. in 215-E.
Committees Meeting Monday, February 11th:
- The House Committee on the Judiciary will meet at 9 a.m. in 418-M.
- The House Committee on Government Organization will meet at 10 a.m. in 215-E.
- The House committee on Rules will meet at 10:45 a.m. behind the House Chamber.
