Today, the House of Delegates completed action on one bill, passed three bills, amended one bill, and rejected an amendment on another.
House Bill 4274 completed legislative action today and heads to the Governor’s office. The bill renames the Department of Health and Human Resources as the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of Health facilities through various sections of code to reflect the reorganization into three separate departments. The bill also makes changes to reflect any bureau name changes made through the reorganization.
House Bill 4302 modifies the criminal penalties imposed on a parent, guardian, custodian, or person in a position of trust to a child for child abuse resulting in injury or child abuse or neglect creating a risk of injury. The penalties in the bill are as follows:
- Abuse resulting in injury
- Felony
- 2 to 10 years in a state correctional facility or fined $100 to $1,000
- Abuse resulting in serious bodily harm
- Felony
- 5 to 15 years in a state correctional facility or fined $1,000 to $5,000
- Abuse with a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury
- Felony
- 2 to 10 years in a state correctional facility or fined up to $3,000, or both
- First-time conviction under any state or federal law relating to abuse with substantial risk to bodily injury
- Misdemeanor
- Up to 6 months in jail or fined $100 to $1,000, or both
- A second or subsequent felony offense under any state or federal law relating to abuse with substantial risk to bodily injury
- Felony
- Imprisoned for up to twice the term otherwise authorized, fined twice the amount authorized, or both.
The bill clarifies this does not preclude a parent, guardian, or custodian from providing reasonable discipline to a child. The bill also adds “person in a position of trust in relation to the child” to the neglect section of the code. The bill passed to the Senate.
House Bill 4428 requires candidates to live in the state or local election district for the office in which they are seeking to be elected. The bill passed to the Senate.
House Bill 4552 requires the immediate electronic verification of partisan election candidates’ party affiliation. The bill passed to the Senate.
An amendment was offered to House Bill 4432 and rejected. The bill permits physician assistants to own a practice and establishes grounds for discipline or denial of a license shareholder eligibility for medical corporations. The bill also removes the requirement that a certified registered nurse anesthetist be under the supervision of a physician or dentist to administer anesthesia. Instead, the CRNA would work in cooperation with the physician, podiatrist, or dentist. The amendment would strike the section relating to CRNAs. It failed 31-65.
House Bill 4620 removes the expiration date of food handlers’ permits and makes all training uniform. The bill was amended to remove the requirement of the permit or card being obtained in 30 days if the person serves at a non-profit food prep or distribution site 12 or fewer times in one year, as long as another individual with a food handlers card is present.
Bills introduced today can be found here.
Resolutions introduced today can be found here.
The House is adjourned until tomorrow, January 23, 2023, at 11 a.m.
Committee Meetings, today Jan. 22
The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460 for Budget Hearings with a meeting following. Jan. | Feb.
The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m. in Room 410.
Committee Meetings, tomorrow Jan. 23
The Committee on Banking and Insurance will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
The Committee on Pensions and Retirement will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460.
The Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security will meet at 9:15 a.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Political Subdivisions will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 434.
The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m. behind the House Chamber.
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
The Judiciary Committee is holding a Public Hearing on Wednesday, January 24 at 8:30 a.m. for HB 4654 -Removing bona fide schools, public libraries, and museums from the list of exemptions from criminal liability relating to distribution and display to minor of obscene matter.
