The Subcommittee on Human Services met this afternoon to discuss House Bill 2033 and 2376.

House Bill 2033 prohibits the Department of Human Services from creating a policy that requires prospective adoptive or foster parents to affirm, accept, or support sexual orientation or gender identity that conflicts with the parent’s sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. The bill also states the Department cannot deny adoptive or foster parents because of their sincere religious or moral beliefs. The Department cannot create a policy to prevent prospective adoptive or foster parents from placement because of their religious or moral beliefs. The bill also states that the Department should use discretion in choosing the best placement for a child based on any held religious or moral beliefs of the child or family of origin. The bill is bound over for markup.

House Bill 2376 removes the requirement that the children of foster parents be immunized for the parent to bring foster children into the home. The bill is bound over for markup.

The House Subcommittee on Health Care Regulation met this afternoon to discuss two bills.

House Bill 2174 updates the birthing center statute to make the language consistent with national best practices. The birthing center code has not been updated in over 40 years. The bill’s goal is to streamline requirements and processes associated with birthing center licensure. West Virginia recently removed birthing centers from the certificate of need and does not have licensing for birthing centers. The licensing would be placed on the facility operating as a birthing center. Other states do not require centers to be licensed; only the individuals who practice must be licensed. The bill is bound over for markup.

House Bill 2175 updates regulations for behavioral health facilities. The bill passed the House last session. The bill separates behavior health centers based on treatment settings, residential or non-residential. The bill also modernizes licensing fees and penalties to address issues relating to facilities. The bill is bound over for markup.

The Subcommittee on Government Administration met this afternoon to hear a discussion about House Bill 2152.

House Bill 2152, the Prompt Payment Act of 2025, requires the State to pay all undisputed invoices within 45 days. Late payment issues have come to light with several agencies. Currently, there isn’t a law requiring payment by a certain time. This bill will allow predictability in payments for companies doing business with the State. The bill does allow for an interest rate if not paid on time. The bill will be bound over for markups at the next meeting of the subcommittee.

The Senate quickly suspended constitutional rules on Monday morning to complete action on House Bills 2024 and 2025.

These are the annual bills updating terms in the personal income tax and corporate net income tax act to align with federal IRS updates.

Senate Bill 460, relating to vaccine requirements, was on first reading in the Senate today. That bill is currently on schedule to be on the amendment stage tomorrow and up for a vote by the full body on Wednesday. Check here for a full explanation of the bill in its current form.

Senate bills 506-510 were introduced today.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings for Feb. 17:

Workforce at 1 p.m. in 208W

Transportation at 1 p.m. in 451M

Pensions at 2 p.m. in 451M

Energy at 2 p.m. in 208W

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Morning Meetings for Feb. 18:

Education at 9:30 a.m. in 451M

Gov. Org. at 9:30 a.m. in 208W

The House of Delegates convened today. With no bills moved to the calendar, the committee meetings were announced.

Committee Meetings, Today February 17

• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Subcommittee on Government Administration will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Healthcare Regulations will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Human Services will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow February 18

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460 for a budget hearing.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Courts will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Courts and the Subcommittee on Legal Services will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Legal Services will meet at 10:30 a.m.
• The Education Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Health and Human Services will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Senate adopted SR5 on Friday,  designating February 14, 2025 as National Organ Donor Day at Legislature.

Observed every year on February 14th, National Organ Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye and tissue donation.

The day is also a way to recognize those who have given and received the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation, those are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant, and those who died waiting because an organ was not donated in time.

The Senate also introduced bills 464-505 on Friday.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m.

Morning Meetings for Feb. 17:

Gov. Org. at 9:30 a.m. in 208W

Afternoon Meetings for Feb. 17:

Workforce at 1 p.m. in 208W

Pensions at 2 p.m. in 451M

Energy at 2 p.m. in 208W

The House met for day three of the first session of the 87^th Legislature. A citation was read recognizing National Organ Donor Day.

Here are the bills introduced today.
Here are the resolutions introduced today.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. Monday, February 17, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today February 14

• The Education Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism will meet at 2:15 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, Monday February 17

• The Subcommittee on Appropriations will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460 for a budget hearing.
• The Committee on the Judiciary will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Courts will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Homeland Security will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Subcommittee on Government Administration will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Healthcare Regulations will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Human Services will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 215E.

After several hours of debate spanning two meetings on Thursday, the Senate Health and Human Resources committee advanced Senate Bill 460, which would allow religious exemptions to the state’s school vaccination requirements.

The bill as it heads to the full Senate, allows the parent or guardian to present a written statement to the administrator of the child’s school or operator of a state-regulated child care center explaining that the mandatory vaccination requirements cannot be met because they conflict with the religious or philosophical beliefs of the parent, legal guardian, or emancipated child.

Children who are exempt from immunizations could not be prohibited from participating in extracurricular activities or attending school events. The bill, as approved by the committee, allows a parent or guardian to file civil suits against schools that engage in discrimination against a child due to their immunization status.

The legislation would update medical exemptions to immunizations, permitting a child to be exempt when a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner provides a written statement to the school administrator or child care center stating that the specific immunizations could be detrimental to the child’s health or inappropriate. It also exempts students attending statewide or county-based virtual schools from immunizations.

Three doctors told the committee that these exceptions would open up the possibility of significant spread of disease.

Dr. Matthew Thomas, pediatric infectious disease specialist at WVU Children’s Hospital, spoke against the bill. He voiced concern about what a disease outbreak would mean for state residents in rural areas without good healthcare access. Thomas said vaccinations have been extremely effective at protecting the public against the worst effects of infectious disease.

Proponents of the bill emphasized to the committee the importance of parental choice and religious freedom. They argued that forced vaccination is a violation of individual rights.

John and Hallie Davis, father and daughter, spoke to the committee in support of the bill. Hallie, 20, and her father, described their legal ordeal seeking vaccine exemptions because of concerns over medical effects. She previously had an averse reaction to a vaccine.

The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

The Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon to hear about House Bill 2053 and House Bill 2074.

House Bill 2074 would exempt food service booths operating for less than 15 days a year from existing fire code rules for ventilation hoods and automatic fire suppression. The bill does require at least two handheld fire extinguishers and training for the people working the booth. The bill also requires a “reasonable amount of ventilation and airflow.” This bill would apply to fairs, festivals, and non-profit food vendors.

House Bill 2053 adds the Space Force to the definition of “active military duty” and “armed forces.”

The House of Delegates convened for day two of the 2025 Legislative Session.

The rules were suspended to pass House Bill 2024 and House Bill 2025. Both bills are passed annually to update terms used in the West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act and the Corporation Net Income Tax Act to sync up with federal terms.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, February 14, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today February 13

• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Education Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Subcommittee on Government Administration will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E
• The Committee on Energy and Public Works will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow February 14

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460 for the Revenue Presentation.
• The Subcommittee on Homeland Security will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
•  The Subcommittee on Legal Services will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Courts will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Education Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism will meet at 2:15 p.m. in Room 215E.

Listen to committee meetings here.