The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that seeks to address ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability within West Virginia’s foster care system.

Senate Bill 83 would enhance the oversight of child welfare by granting the Foster Care Ombudsman access to confidential records related to child abuse, neglect, and fatalities.

The legislation amends existing confidentiality laws, allowing the Foster Care Ombudsman, or their designee, to access critical information while performing their official duties. This change is particularly significant in cases involving child fatalities or near fatalities, where timely access to records can be crucial for investigations and systemic improvements.

Currently, the confidentiality of child welfare records often limit the ability of oversight bodies to fully understand and address the circumstances surrounding these tragic events.

Supporters of the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously, argued that it will empower the Ombudsman to better advocate for children in the foster care system and ensure that cases of abuse and neglect are thoroughly vetted. They emphasize that increased access to information will lead to more informed recommendations for policy changes and improvements in child welfare practices.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 20, at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings:

Natural Resources at 1 p.m. in 208W

Agriculture at 2 p.m. in 208W

Banking and Insurance at 2 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Morning Meetings for Thursday, March 20:

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

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

The Finance Committee met this morning and this afternoon to hear about the following bills.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2015 extends indefinitely the moratorium on new BRIM coverage for entities with permissive coverage.

House Bill 2162 repeals the tax exemption for credit unions.

House Bill 2889 authorizes the Commissioner of the State Auditor of West Virginia to conduct fairness hearings for transactions involving the exchange of a security for one or more outstanding securities, claims, or property interests or partly for cash, to determine whether the terms and conditions of the exchange are fair to the security holders.

The Committee recessed until after the Banking and Insurance Subcommittee.

House Bill 3111 provides pay increases to members of the judiciary including the Supreme Court, circuit courts, family courts, magistrates, and the Intermediate Court.

House Bill 3092 allows patients to use the copay covered by the manufacturer’s copay cards to be applied to the deductible.

House Bill 3492 authorizes the City of Huntington to levy a special district excise tax for the benefit of the City of Huntington Economic Opportunity Development District.

House Bill 2978 transfers the powers and duties of the Municipal Bond Commission to the State Treasurer.

The House Rules Committee advanced House Concurrent Resolutions 46, 47, 50, 54, 56, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 71, 79 and 83 to the full house.

Additionally, the committee reviewed House Bill 2043, which was split into two bills. The new version of House Bill 2043 allows drones to be used to track wounded wildlife. The bill also amends the section of code that only allows one dog per dog handler when using dogs to track wounded animals. If the UAV/drone operator does not own or lease the property, they must be licensed.

The originating House Bill adds licensed livestock facilities, licensed livestock slaughter facilities, and commercial poultry facilities to the definition of critical infrastructure facilities and to the section of code relating to trespassing on and causing damage to critical infrastructure.

Both bills advance to the full House.

The House Health and Human Resources Committee met this afternoon.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2493 establishes the Sound Science in Regulations Act, which states that state agencies may not propose or effectuate a regulatory action unless those actions are based on the best available science.

House Bill 3343 adds crystalline polymorph psilocybin to the permitted list of distributed and prescribed drugs if scheduled or de-scheduled by the Food and Drug Administration.

House Bill 2410 permits access to individualized treatments for eligible patients.

House Bill 3344 establishes a grant program to fund the United States Food and Drug Administration’s drug development trials with ibogaine to secure the Administration’s approval as a medication for the treatment of PTSD, opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, and any other neurological or mental health conditions.

House Bill 2378 requires syringe exchange services programs to be operated in affiliation with a local health department. The bill will eliminate a third of the programs in the state. Currently, there are only 10 exchange programs in the state and three would have to close.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 3277 defines the term “Secretary” in the West Virginia Hospital Finance Authority Act. This was missed in the code when splitting the Department of Health and Human Resources into the three agencies.

The Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 460 allows physicians, physician’s assistants, or nurse practitioners to exempt a child from immunizations if they deem the specific immunizations to be detrimental to the child’s health or are not appropriate by providing a written statement to the school or childcare provider. The bill provides protection against disciplinary boards and administrative and criminal penalties related to the letter. The bill provides that no school or state-regulated childcare center shall prohibit an individual from exercising an exemption from participating in extracurricular activities or attending school-based events. An amendment was adopted that if the practitioner is acting in good faith will be immune from civil liability. However, if the provider acts with gross negligence or willful misconduct, a civil action may be brought Another amendment was adopted to require practitioners to report the exemption provided.

Several amendments were offered and rejected, including limiting the medical professionals to West Virginia Board Certified Pediatricians and Family Care Physicians. Another amendment was rejected that would have required schools to report how many children who are exempt from vaccination are in attendance. No personally identifiable information would be provided.

The Committee Substitute was adopted and passed by the committee.

The House Education met this afternoon. Here is some of the legislation considered.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 2394, Alyssa’s law, requires the State Board of Education to work with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to implement a wearable panic alert system. The bill requires county boards to ensure school personnel receive training on the protocol and appropriate use of the device.

House Bill 2499 creates an in-person training course for principals in public schools on the relating to the Individuals with Disability Education Act.

House Bill 2939 creates the Remote Schools Support Act. The bill defines an extreme remote school as a school located 20 or more miles from an existing public school, public charter school, or private school serving at least 20 students. The bill provides extremely remote schools to receive additional aid to keep the school open. The bill states no county board may close an extremely remote school.

House Bill 3295 establishes the Troops-to-Teachers program.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2646 allows students to attend summer school between 8th and 9th grades in attempt to raise GPA to gain eligibility for extracurricular activities.

House Bill 2879, West Virginia Math, Science, and Special Education Teacher Scholarship Act, provides $2,000 to existing teachers who serve in a qualified position two years or $4,000 for six years. Teachers must be certified teachers with specialized in mathematics, science, or special education. The program would begin on January 1, 2026, and sunset on January 1, 2036.

House Bill 2610 provides a waiver of tuition and fees at state institutions of higher education and community and technical colleges for military veterans who has service-related disability of 50 percent or greater. The bill also expands to include their spouses and dependents.

The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would create the Safety and Violence Education for Students Act.

Senate Bill 548 is aimed at enhancing student safety and promoting social inclusion in schools across the state. The bill mandates that all schools serving grades K-12 provide students with evidence-based training in youth violence prevention and social inclusion.

The primary objective of the legislation is to equip students with the skills necessary to recognize and respond to potential threats of violence and social isolation.

Specifically, the bill would require schools serving grades 6-12 to deliver at least one hour of youth violence prevention training annually. This training would cover critical topics such as identifying warning signs of individuals at risk of harming themselves or others, the importance of taking threats seriously, and the appropriate steps to report dangerous behavior.

In addition, the bill mandates that all K-12 schools provide at least one hour of social inclusion training each year. This training aims to educate students about social isolation, its implications, and strategies to foster a sense of togetherness within their classrooms and communities.

If the bill completes legislative action, the state Department of Education would be tasked with developing a list of evidence-based training programs and materials to support these initiatives, ensuring that schools have access to effective resources. The legislation also allows for the establishment of student-led violence prevention clubs, further encouraging student engagement in safety initiatives.

Supporters of the bill praise its proactive approach to addressing youth violence and social isolation, while critics have raised concerns about the potential costs associated with implementing these training programs, particularly in underfunded schools.

The legislation passed on a 26-8 vote.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate has adjourned until Wednesday, March 19, at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Meetings:

Health at 1 p.m. in 451M

Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W

Morning Meetings for March 19:

Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health at 9:30 a.m. in 451M

Today, the House adopted several House Concurrent Resolutions. Most of these resolutions renamed bridges and portions of highways after people who have served in the military or served the community in some capacity. Summaries of these resolutions can be found here.

Two bills passed and now head to the Senate.

Senate Bill 486 requires state and federal citizenship for voting rights and residency in the municipality when voting in municipal elections. The bill clarifies that individuals are only disqualified due to incompetency if a formal court judgment is received. The bill incorporates our felony conviction voting laws and clarifies that the person is deemed to have been convicted of a disqualifying offense at the adjudication stage.

House Bill 2802 allows law enforcement officers to complete eight of the required in-service hours per year to be served on-site in a school safety program.

Amendments were offered on two bills on second reading. However, both were rejected. The amendment to House Bill 2752 brought a lively debate to the floor. House Bill 2572 allows motorcyclists to stand while riding the bike. The amendment would have given adults over 21 the option to not wear a helmet. After the debate over personal choice, safety, and insurance costs ended, the amendment was rejected with 41 in favor and 54 opposed.

Resolutions introduced can be found here.
Bills introduced can be found here.  

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, March 19, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 18

• The Subcommittee on Banking and Insurance will meet immediately after the floor session in Room 460.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Infrastructure Naming Subcommittee will meet at 1:45 p.m. in the McManus Room.
• The Subcommittee on Government Administration will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E
• The Subcommittee on Investments will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Energy and Public Works will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Environment, Infrastructure, and Technology will meet immediately after EPW in Room 410.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow March 19

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Rules Committee will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Banking and Insurance will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Subcommittee on Economic Development will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Public Health will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Committee on Energy and Public Works met this afternoon.

Markup & Discussion

House Bill 2502 establishes limitations on billing practices of Internet or telecommunications providers that fail to provide subscribed customers service for five or more days (120 hours) to automatically credit the customer’s account for the lack of service proportional to the number of days of disrupted services.

House Bill 2987 creates the Consumer Data Protection Act and guides the Act’s administration.

House Bill 3168, the Rosi Act, requires entities providing goods, services, or utilities to allow changes to be made to an electronic account by telephone or mail. 

House Bill 3187 adds the identification of economic opportunities to the agenda of the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and extends the sunset of the Task Force to July 1, 2027.

House Bill 3263 provides that every utility should have an approved outage notification in place to notify customers of disruptions in service.

House Bill 3292 defines “on-track equipment.” The bill clarifies that motorists should also stop for this equipment, as with a train.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 2205 expands the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission to include advanced nuclear reactors.

House Bill 2948 removes the requirement that the loan value of the motor vehicle be less than $9,500 to allow an automobile dealer, licensed automobile auction, motor vehicle repair facility, or towing company upon whose property or place of business an abandoned or junked motor vehicle has been abandoned to obtain a certificate of title and registration for the abandoned motor vehicle or junked vehicle.

House Bill 3072 provides for the creation of “Super Two” highways in this state. The bill asks the Division of Highways to look into this process and consider it for future development.

House Bill 3336 eliminates the requirement for a four-and-a-half-inch casing for modern wells. The bill eliminates the removal of intermediate or surface casings for non-modern or older wells, so long as other requirements are met.

Senate Bill 267 extends the time during which a person may apply to renew an expired CDL from 6 months to 3 years without having to follow the procedures for initial issuance of a CDL including the testing provisions.  The bill also provides that a person whose CDL has been downgraded solely because of his or her medical certification becoming expired or invalid may have his or her CDL restored upon presentation of a valid and current medical certification no more than 5 years after such downgrade without being required to follow the procedures for initial issuance of a CDL, including the testing provisions.

Senate Bill 573 provides that no state agency and no political subdivision may restrict the use, purchase, or sale of motor vehicles based on the energy source used to power the motor vehicle or power functions of the motor vehicle. This prohibition would not apply to any policy established by a state agency, or a political subdivision relating to the use, purchase, or sale of motor vehicles by that state agency or political subdivision.

Senate Bill 627 authorizes the Division of Natural Resources (DNR), with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, to lease state-owned pore spaces underlying lands under the jurisdiction and control of the DNR for the sequestration of carbon dioxide. This would allow the director to lease pore spaces under state parks but would prohibit the disturbance of the surface of state park property for any drilling or injection activity.

During today’s House floor session, six bills were passed; one completed legislative action.

Senate Bill 487 removes an obsolete reference to the combined voter registration and licensing fund. The bill accelerates the removal of voters from the rolls by making voters eligible to be purged from the rolls if they have not voted in any election for the preceding two years.

Senate Bill 8 provides for additional sites for newborn safe surrenders. The bill adds emergency medical service facilities, police departments, 911 call centers, and sheriff’s detachments that are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to hospitals, health care facilities, and fire departments to be designated newborn safe-surrender sites. The bill allows these locations to perform any act to protect the physical health or safety of the child once they receive a child.

House Bill 2143 requires the West Virginia Department of Education to establish a curriculum aligned with the science of reading. Each K-5 public school teacher and public charter school teacher who provides literacy instruction shall be trained using high-quality professional learning that incorporates ongoing, intensive training in the science of reading that includes classroom application activities and live sessions spanning multiple school years as approved and provided through the West Virginia Department of Education. Currently employed educators shall be enrolled by the 2027-2028 school year.

House Bill 2172 adds a certified athletic trainer to the Board of Physical Therapy. This addition sets the board to an even number. In a tie, the chair will vote a second time.

House Bill 2358 requires autopsies to be conducted within 72 hours of the request being received by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The bill requires within 24 hours of autopsy completion a report should be submitted.

House Bill 2702 allows the Governor to appoint an acting official for vacancies to perform the duties of a constitutional officer until the appointment process is completed. The bill requires those who are appointed to be affiliated with that party for at least one year before the vacancy. If the appointment is to the House or Senate, the individual must have resided in the district for one year before the vacancy.

Bills introduced can be found here.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, March 18, 2025.

Committee Meetings, Today March 17

• The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Energy and Public Works will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Environment, Infrastructure, and Technology will meet immediately after EPW in Room 410.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow March 18

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 460.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Education will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 432M.
• The Subcommittee on Banking and Insurance will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Subcommittee on Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Government Administration will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 215E
• The Subcommittee on Investments will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Subcommittee on Energy and Public Works will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Subcommittee on Environment, Infrastructure, and Technology will meet immediately after EPW in Room 410.