The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved two bills to be reported to the full Senate
SB 256 would prohibit school personnel who have engaged in sexual misconduct with students or minors from being assisted to find new employment without having that misconduct reported to the appropriate authorities and investigated.
The bill would bring those sections of the Code into compliance with the federal government.
Heather Hutchens, general counsel for the West Virginia Department of Education, was available to answer questions from the committee.
SB 454 would eliminate certain fees generated by suggestee executions and to further streamline the collection of state moneys received as a result of certain court transactions or court services through more efficient technology.
Committee counsel Jennifer Greenlief said the bill would essentially be “cutting out the middleman.”
The committee began discussion and amending of SB 255, which would reform the procedures for the appointment of county officials in the event of a vacancy.
Patty Hamilton of the West Virginia Association of Counties said she believed the bill “vastly improves the current process” of appointing county officials.
“It appears to be a better vacancy appointment law than what is on the books now,” Hamilton said.
Senator Mike Romano, D-Harrison, made a first amendment to restore authority to the governor to make appointments instead of presiding officers in the legislature. The amendment was adopted.
Senators Robert Karnes, R-Upshur, and Ronald Miller, D-Greenbrier, spoke in support of the amendment and said the current process has been working much better. Senator Ryan Weld, R-Mercer, opposed the bill, stating that allowing the executive office to choose those who fill legislative positions is questionable.
Romano made a second amendment that would require the governor to make the appointee of a vacancy be from the same party as the initial legislator was when elected. There was not enough time in the meeting to discuss or vote on the amendment.
Senate Bills 406, 497 and 207 were on the agenda but were not able to be addressed within the timeframe of the meeting.
The committee has recessed until 1:30 p.m.
