As of 4 p.m., Wednesday, February 3, 2010, the 22nd day of the 79th Legislature’s 2nd Regular Session, 1034 bills have been introduced in the House. Of those, 14 passed and have been sent to the Senate for consideration. The bills passed include:

House Bill 2485 would clarify that pharmacy interns may sell pseudoephedrine and other chemical precursors of methamphetamine. A pharmacy intern is defined as someone with a degree in pharmacy who works with a licensed pharmacist as he or she is not yet licensed.

House Bill 2561 would make it so applicants for farm use exemption certificates would not be required to appear before any assessor for renewal. Currently, they must appear, in person, before the county assessor to obtain exemption.

House Bill 2612 would increase penalties for failing to report child abuse. The penalty would be up to 30 days of jail time, up to $1000 fine, or a combination of the two. A person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is neglected or abused or observes the child being subjected to conditions that are likely to result in abuse or neglect must report the suspicion.

House Bill 4018 would prohibit the production, manufacture and possession of salvia divinorum. Unlawful possession of salvia divinorum would result in a fine of up to $1000, up to six months jail time, or a combination of the two. Salvia divinorum is a leafy herb that is being used as a hallucinogenic drug.

House Bill 4039 would increase the number of members allowed on the Marshall County Park and Recreation Board. The Board would be increased to nine members from its current five.

House Bill 4133 would clarify the requirements to practice marriage and family therapy. A change in language occurs in the bill, altering the phrase “licensed professional counselor” to “a person licensed to practice marriage and family therapy.”

House Bill 4139 relates to professional licensing boards. The bill revises specific subject matter requirements for orientation sessions, clarifies the establishment of quorums when there are vacancies on the board, and clarifies the procedure covering hearings along with other technical revisions and clarifications.

House Bill 4142 would update the practice of environmental health science and the State Board of Sanitarians. Environmental health science is defined as public health science that includes, but is not limited to, the following concentrations: air quality, food quality and protection, hazardous and toxic substances, consumer product safety, housing, institutional health and safety, community noise control, radiation protection, recreational facilities, solid and liquid waste management, vector control, drinking water quality, milk sanitation and rabies control.

House Bill 4171 would encourage the use of criminogenic risk and need assessments for all people sentenced to the custody of the Division of Corrections. Additionally, the bill would require the Parole Board to review available criminogenic risk and need assessments when making parole determinations.

A Sampling of Bills Introduced In the House

House Bill 4207 would make it unlawful to send obscene, anonymous, harassing and threatening communications by computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant or other mobile device. The bill makes it a misdemeanor for first and second offenses; a third or subsequent offense is a felony and, establishes penalties of up to two years jail time, a fine up to $5,000, or a combination of the two.

House Bill 4223 would increase safety for children traveling on school buses by increasing the penalty for failing to stop a vehicle before reaching a school bus when flashing warning lights are on.

House Bill 4251 would require election officials, poll clerks and poll workers to vote in precincts where they are registered to vote.

House Bill 4256 would create a sales tax holiday for those purchasing guns and ammunition in the month of November.

House Bill 4262 would create the West Virginia Renewable Energy Act. The bill provides an investment cost recovery incentive of up to $2,000 for customer-generated electricity from a renewable energy system; this exempts electric and gas companies.

House Bill 4265 would prohibit the seizure of lawfully possessed arms and ammunition during a declared state of emergency or riot.

House Bill 4269 would make it unlawful for licensed pharmacies to sell drug paraphernalia. Drug paraphernalia is defined as items designed or marketed for use of a controlled substance.

House Bill 4276 would create the Energy Efficient Building Act. This would produce a tax incentive for constructing energy efficient buildings.

House Bill 4296 would authorize the Division of Motor Vehicles to create and issue special registration plates bearing the inscription “Support Coal Miners.”

House Bill 4310 would prohibit members of the media from being compelled to give testimony, or be subject to search, before a grand jury.