The House of Delegates reconvened this evening after a recess to amend and pass Senate Bill 373, the Water Resources Protection and Management Act. This bill would change the definition of a large quantity user to a person who uses at least 300,000 gallons of water in 30 day period. It would require large quantity users to report water withdrawals annually and any agency that contributes to the funding of the steam gage network to notify the Public Service Commission and the USGS if they cannot maintain its level of funding. Drilling contractors and well owners would have to report the depth to groundwater of drilled wells. The Department of Environmental Protection would report annually to the Comission on the implementation of the State Water Resources Management Plan and survey results.

Senate Bill 373 would also require the registration of existing aboveground storage tanks and directs the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection to regulate both new and existing aboveground storage tanks. The bill will be sent back to the Senate for the concurrence of the amendments. 

An additional five bills were passed, four of which have completed legislative action and are awaiting the Governor’s signature. Senate Bill 378 would add garbage trucks and other sanitation vehicles to the list of authorized emergency vehicles and require them to use flashing lights or other visual signals to indicate the presence of workers. House Bill 4067 would authorize the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety to promulgate legislative rules.

Other bills which completed  legislative action were House Bills 4304 and 4618. House Bill 4304 would provide rules for motor vehicles passing bicycles on roadways. House Bill 4618 would establishes the Transformative System of Support for Early Literacy to ensure all students read proficiently by the end of the 3rd grade.

The House concurred with the Senate amendment of House Bill 4175 and passed it with another amendment. This bill would create the West Virginia Small Business Emergency Act, providing financial assistance to small businesses in locations that have declared a state of emergency. It will be sent back to the Senate for concurrence and completion.

The House is adjourned until 12:00 p.m. tomorrow

The House convened today to pass nine bills. Of the nine bills passed, four have completed legislative action.

Senate Bill 90 was passed, which would make it a criminal offense to intentionally interfere with or prevent a person from calling emergency service personnel. Senate Bill 405 would protect protect a juror’s private information by limiting the availability of juror questionnaire forms. These bills will be communicated to the Senate for the amendments to be considered.

House Bill 4384 was among the bills that completed legislative action. This bill would require teachers of students with exceptional needs to be present at an individualized education program meeting or to read and sign a copy of the individualized education program plan. Senate Bill 470, which would provide that completed grand jury questionnaire forms are confidential and can only be released from the clerk’s custody with the written permission of the circuit cour, completed legislative action as well.

There were six bills on second reading, including Senate Bill 373, relating to water resources protection, and Senate Bill 209, allowing special needs students to participate in graduation ceremonies. There were 15 bills on first reading.

A citation was presented recognizing today was WVU Extension Service Day.

The following committees will meet today:

• House Finance at 1:30 p.m. in 460M
• House Judiciary at 1:30 p.m. in 410M
• House Education at 4 p.m. in 434M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

• House Judiciary at 8 a.m. in 410M

The House is in recess until 5:30 p.m. today.

UPDATE: The House reconvened this evening to receive committee reports and to concur with the Senate amendments and complete legislative action on three bills.

House Bill 4151, relating to military members and their spouses who obtain licensure through professional boards, was one of the three bills to complete legislative action. House Bill 4301 passed as well, which would allow for the reciprocal use of hunting and fishing licenses with Kentucky on the Big Sandy and Tug Fork Rivers. House Bill 4437 would allow the Division of Juvenile Services to maintain trustee bank accounts, earnings and property for its residents and create a resident benefit fund for the welfare of those in juvenile facilities and for the benefit of victims.

The following committees will meet today:

• House Judiciary 30 minutes after session in 410M
• House Finance at 6:30 p.m. in 460M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:

• House Agriculture and Natural Resources at 8:30 a.m. in 215E
• House Finance at 8:30 a.m. in 410M

The House is adjourned until 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.