Today, the House of Delegates started early at 9 a.m. Eight pieces of Legislation were up for passage today.

House Bill 2004 prevents the use of payment card processing systems for surveillance of Second Amendment activity and discriminatory conduct.

House Bill 2007 prohibits irreversible gender assignment surgery on individuals under 18. The bill also prohibits hormonal therapy to be prescribed to minors transitioning.

Debate was long on this bill. Proponents of the bill are concerned with minors receiving life changing surgery and therapy too early in life and potentially regretting those decisions later. Opponents are concerned with minors, and their parents, having access to needed health care.

House Bill 2008 requires all state entities, local entities, and law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the enforcement of immigration laws.

House Bill 2380 removes obsolete provisions of code relating to the School Building Authority.

House Bill 2443 requires all persons hired as the director, assistant director, or coordinator of transportation to have at least five years of experience working in the transportation department of the county board or meet/obtain qualifications as a school bus operator within one year of employment.

House Bill 2768 requires all state entities and Chapter 30 boards to use “.gov” domains and email addresses.

House Bill 2941 extends the sunset date of the State Advisory Council on Postsecondary Attainment Goals to December 31, 2025.

House Bill 3091 requires counties to provide information to the State Auditor for inclusion on the financial transparency website.

House Bill 2538 was on second reading today and was referred to the Committee on Finance. The bill requires the Bureau of Social Services to implement a child welfare information technology system.

Action was postponed one day on House Bill 2832 again. House Bill 3141 was quickly amended.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 6.

Committee Meetings, Today

• The Finance Committee will meet at 12:30 p.m. in Room 460.

Committee Meetings, Monday, Feb. 6

• The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.

The House of Delegates met this morning. With no bills on third reading, amendments were offered on a couple of bills, and action was delayed on one bill.

House Bill 2007 prohibits irreversible gender reassignment surgery and hormonal therapy for persons under 18 years of age. Two amendments were offered. One would allow for surgeries with parental consent. The other would prohibit all cosmetic surgeries on children. Both amendments failed.

House Bill 2380 removes or changes obsolete or outdated provisions of code relating to the School Building Authority. An amendment was offered and adopted, that allows the School Building Authority to request $23 million for appropriation to the agency’s General Revenue Fund to be transferred to the School Construction Fund.

Action on House Bill 2832 was delayed one day. The bill clarifies the appropriate and inappropriate duties for school counselors.

The House is adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow, February 3, 2023.

Committee Meetings, Today

• The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Economic Development and Tourism will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 2883 – Making a supplemental appropriation from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund – at 2 p.m. in the House Chamber.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow, Feb. 3

• The Finance Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 460.

Today, the House of Delegates passed five bills and two resolutions

House Concurrent Resolution 11 urges Marshall University and West Virginia University to lead an education consortium with the support of the HEPC and private industry representatives to assist the State to develop policies and programs to facilitate nuclear energy developments.

House Concurrent Resolution 13 makes the second week of February every year a week of recognition of the Boy Scouts of America.

Senate Bill 207 removes the maximum state allocation allowed to each eligible regional council.

House Bill 2596 clarifies the circumstances in which a county board of education shall permit the transfer of resident and nonresident students. The bill requires county boards and the State Department of Education to report annually on the number of transfer approvals and denials made under open enrollment policies.

House Bill 2613 allows certified registered nurse anesthetists to work in cooperation with a physician, podiatrist, or dentist instead of being supervised by one. This removes the liability from the doctor who may not be trained in anesthesia administering.

House Bill 2380 removes obsolete or outdated provisions of code relating to the School Building Authority.

House Bill 3061 updates the authority of the foster care ombudsman.

The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow, February 2, 2023.

Committee Meetings, Today

• The Finance Committee will meet at 1:15 p.m. in Room 460.
• The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security will meet at 4 p.m. in 215E.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow, Feb. 2

• The Committee on Jails and Prisons will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Workforce Development will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 215E.
• The Committee on Senior, Children, and Family Issues will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 460.
• The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
• The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
• The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E

Public Hearings, Thursday, Feb. 2

• The Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 2007 – Prohibiting certain medical practices – at 9 a.m. in the House Chamber.
• The Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 2883 – Making a supplemental appropriation from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund – at 2 p.m. in the House Chamber.