The Senate Judiciary Committe has approved two bills to be reported to the floor with the recommendation that they pass.
SB 76 would create the West Virginia Second Chance for Employment Act, which would expand eligibility for criminal expungement to persons convicted of certain nonviolent felonies in order to help them obtain better employment opportunities.
The bill was previously reported out of Senate Economic Development with the recommendation that it do pass.
Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, amended the bill to exempt those convicted of soliciting a minor for sexual acts and those convicted of conspiracy in murder, as well as another to disclose certain related expenditures.
Several members voiced their support for the bill’s passage in both the Senate and the House.
SB 538 would allow the Board of Parole to require parolees to engage in alcohol or antagonist drug opioid therapy as a special condition of parole when recommended by the Commissioner of Corrections.
Stacy Norwicki-Eldridge of the Division of Corrections said the division approved of the bill. She also answered questions for members of the committee related to how the division would carry out the provisions of the bill.
A third bill, SB 539 ,would make significant revisions to the law regulating election financing by modifying provisions relating to receipts and expenditures in elections, electioneering communications, reporting requirements and financial statements, among other modifications. After long discussion, the bill was held over for a future meeting.
