The House of Delegates convened at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28 for the 51st day of the legislative session. Senate Bills were considered in the House this day, with noteworthy bills such as Senate Bill 440 passing.
Senate Bill 440, a bill to update the state’s anti-hazing laws, passed through the House in a 75-22 vote. This bill would update the definition of hazing to include any organization whose members include students at any state public or private institution of higher learning. The bill also creates a misdemeanor criminal penalty for this updated provision.
Senate Bill 157, a rules bundle, was also passed unanimously on this day and made effective from passage. This bundle includes Senate Bill 157, Senate Bill 158, and Senate Bill 159. The bundle updates legislative rules regarding the WV Department of Administration.
- Senate Bill 157 would allow vendor contracts to be cancelled if they were awarded in an erroneous way; would allow related parties to a debarred vendor to also be debarred; authorize the Purchasing Division to recalculate a vendor’s extension price; ease requirements for direct award; and allow for standardization of commodities.
- Senate Bill 158 mainly pertains to the use of a state vehicle. The proposed rule would allow a volunteer acting in an official capacity to use or occupy a state vehicle The bill would also require drivers to maintain a vehicle log including state spending units to annually calculate indirect costs of operating state-owned vehicles for the agency, and spending units to enroll in the management services offered by the Fleet Management Division unless the spending unit is granted an exemption.
- Senate Bill 159 would require agencies to report real property inventory in the centralized accounting system maintained by the Enterprise Resource Planning Board. Changes in ownership status or occupancy must be reported in the system within 30 days.
Senate Bill 453 was also passed unanimously by the House of Delegates. This bill gives the Division of Financial Institutions more flexibility to accept alternative forms of valid background checks. The passage of the bill would provide that the Commissioner may use alternate acceptable forms of international information for background checks for potential employees who are not residents of the United States.
Senate Bill 510 passed in a vote of 86-12. This bill would amend the WV Medical Professional Liability Act. It would mandate that a medical malpractice case cannot be pursued in WV courts until a proper claim is issued that formally advises the medical provider being accused of the liability and the evidence upon which the accusation is based.
Bills on second reading that were advanced without amendment on this day include Senate Bill 408 and Senate Bill 593.
Senate Bill 295 went under some minor changes that would improve the functionality of the bill. Delegate John Shott, R- Mercer, proposed an amendment that would strike the authority of people who are not law enforcement officers to arrest civilians. The amendment passed unanimously.
Senate Bill 518 was amended as well by the House Committee on Health and Human Resources. The bill was amended to allow clerks to check identification cards to ensure that people looking to purchase medications with dextromethorphan in them are above the age of 18.
Senate Bill 545 went under a slight technical amendment and another amendment that slightly amended a legislative rule.
All bills on first reading were advanced.
The House of Delegates is in Recess until 5:30 p.m. today, Thursday, Feb. 28. They will reconvene to receive committee reports.
Committees Meeting After Floor Session:
-The House Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 1 p.m. in 215-E.
-The House Committee on Energy will meet at 2 p.m. in 418-M.
-The House Finance Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in 460-M.
-The House Committee on the Judiciary will meet at 3:30 in 418-M for continued consideration of their posted agenda.
The House of Delegates reconvened briefly at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28 to receive committee reports.
The House received the House Finance’s Committee Report for House Bill 2020, the proposed budget for fiscal year 2020. House Bill 2020 was read a first time on this evening.
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, March 1.
The House Committee on the Judiciary will meet directly after the evening House floor session to continue consideration of their posted agenda.
Committees Meeting Before Floor Session Tomorrow:
-The House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources will meet at 8 a.m. in 215-E.
-The House Committee on the Judiciary will meet at 9 a.m. in 418-M.
-The House Committee on Government Organization will meet at 9 a.m. in 215-E.
-The House Education Committee will meet at 10 a.m. in 434-M.
