The Senate reconvened to pass bills on third reading.
Senate Bill 199 is the Budget Bill.
Senator Hall (R-Putnam) explained some things about the bill. The Governor is allowed to come back and recommend to change it. The legislature is not allowed to build a budget with a deficit. The legislature cannot also raise revenue without consent of the Governor. The bill won’t be acted upon until both houses agree. The Governor raised the liquor tax, school funding changes, and retirement funding changes have all helped get the budget down. Higher Education was cut fifteen percent across the board in the bill and DHHR was also cut. The Promise scholarship, senior services, lunch programs and other important services aren’t cut.
Senator Hall said, “The patient is not quite dead, it is still spending $13,000,000.”
Senator Prezioso (D-Marion) said, “This is not the Senate’s budget, but rather the Senate Majority Leader’s budget. This budget contains $160,000,000 dollars in cuts. Public education with no teacher pay raises, higher education, and 3.68 percent cut from DHHR which is money that is matched with federal dollars. Reductions of the magnitude will hurt this state in the future.”
Senator Hall said, “These are not things that I want to see happen. But we are under the rule of the numbers. You can ask me about any myriad of cuts that we’ve described and I don’t agree with them of all. This is not the final destination and it is not a pretty picture, it is just the numbers.”
Senator Ojeda (D-Logan) said, “We either raise taxes or cut programs, I got that. But when I see this budget, I can’t support it.”
Senator Trump (R-Morgan) said, “Are we to believe that three percent cut will make the sky fall? I get that there is an advocate for every dollar spent in this budget. But we have to live within our means. This bill doesn’t take a dollar from the rainy day from. We aren’t kicking the can down the road.”
Senator Miller (D-Greenbrier) said, “We do need to live within our means. But even today we fail to do that. We are just passing legislation that will bring costs up. When we are blindly making decisions that will affect the future, then we are making a big mistake on the budget.”
Senator Blair (R-Berkeley) said, “I like this budget. We are trying to get the budget done earlier this year than other years. We aren’t following tradition these days. To heck with tradition, we are here to get the job done. We are trying to make West Virginia the most successful state it can be and to live up to its potential. This budget will take us there!”
Senator Palumbo (D-Kanawha) said, “To suggest this budget doesn’t put more burden on our people is a joke.”
Senator Carmichael (R-Jackson) said, “Certainly we could raise more taxes or dip into the rainy day fund, but that is not the right path. We haven’t done things like this in the past. You’re right, we are trying to do things in a different way. What we have done in the past has not worked. The true measure of compassion is not whether we spend more in government but rather if we help people off the welfare and to grow and find success on the economic ladder.”
The bill passed with a vote of 20 yeas and 14 nays.
House Bill 2006 would increase the penalties for violating the Whistle-blower Law. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2083 would increase the felony criminal penalties for exposing children to methamphetamine manufacturing. If a child would suffer a bodily injury in the presence of the manufacturing, then the felony would be punished more. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2119 would repeal the West Virginia Health Benefit Exchange Act. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2219 would authorize miscellaneous boards and agencies to promulgate legislative rules. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2303 would increase the criminal penalty for littering. $2,500 would be the maximum fine for dumping litter not exceeding 100 pounds in weight.
Senator Ojeda (D-Logan) said, “I rise in support of this bill. This bill will help tourism. People don’t want to kayak in our rivers and creeks if they have to dodge tires and garbage. This bill is a good bill that will make West Virginia even more beautiful.”
The bill was passed.
House Bill 2319 relates to candidates or candidate committees for legislative office disclose contributions in a receipt within five business days after a fundraising event. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2367 would establish a criminal offense of organized retail crime. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2373 would authorize school bus drivers trained in administration of epinephrine auto injectors to administer auto-injectors. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2427 would require agencies listed in the online state phone directory to update certain employee information. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2446 relates to the requirement that all executive branch agencies maintain a website that contains specific information. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2453 would expand the list of persons the Commissioner of Agriculture may license to grow or cultivate industrial hemp. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2475 would authorize the Tax Commissioner to collect tax, interest and penalties due and owing from payments to vendors and contractors from the Auditor and other state, county, district or municipal officers and agents. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2548 relates to the use of outside speakers by persons licensed to manufacture, sell, possess for sale, transport or distribute nonintoxicating beer. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2619 would create the Risk Management and Own Risk Solvency Assessment Act. There was a strike and insert amendment. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2676 would transfer the Security office under the Division of Culture and History to the Division of Protective Services. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2683 relates to the West Virginia Insurance Guaranty Association Act. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2726 would authorize home incarceration officers to arrest participants for violating the terms and conditions of his or her supervision with or without court order. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2734 would authorize a method for the collection and remittance of property taxes related to dealers’ heavy equipment inventory. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2767 would authorize the Secretary of State to transmit electronic versions of undeliverable mail to the circuit clerks. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2898 would authorize the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to request and obtain criminal background checks of employees of the legislature. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2939 relates to the sale of items in the State Police Academy post exchange to the public. This would let certain items be sold such as T shirts and ball caps. Senator Unger (D-Berkeley) asked if the bill would help the budget cut to the police and if bake sales and yard ales were included in the bill too. Senator Smith (R-Tucker) yielded to the question and said it may help and no it does not. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2949 would exempt specified Division of Natural Resources’ contracts for some replacement, repair or design for repairs to facilities from review and approval requirements. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2963 would eliminate the tax lien waiver requirement for estates of nonresidents. The bill was passed.
House Bill 2980 relates to civil lawsuit filing fees for multiple defendant civil action. The bill was passed.
The Senate then refused to concur to the House amendment to SB 221.
Senate Bill 386 was reported back to the Senate and the Senate amended the House amendments. The amendments were technical in nature. The bill was passed as the Senate concurred with the amendment as amended.
Senate Bill 588 was concurred with the House amendments and passed.
The following committees meet:
Natural Resources at 5 p.m. in 208W.
Transportation and Infrastructure at the fist recess of tomorrow’s floor session.
The Senate is in recess until 6:30 p.m.
