The Senate has completed legislation on three House bills now to be sent to the governor for enaction.
HB 2724 would establish a community-based pilot project to promote public health through comprehensive community development in communities across West Virginia, and support this project through the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs.
HB 2850 would limit products liability actions against a seller other than the manufacturer except in limited circumstances.
HB 3064 would permit the Division of Highways to issue annual permits allowing vehicles of a size and weight exceeding certain specifications to operate over specified routes designated by the commissioner.
Of those bills up for completion, the Senate refused the House’s amendments to HB 2868 and put the bill into a conference committee to determine how to best amend the bill.
The Senate also passed ten bills to be sent to the House for concurrence.
HB 2702 would limit excused absences for personal illness or injury in the family to those of student’s parent, guardian or custodian and require a confirming statement from a medical provider to be given to the school no later than three days after the absence.
Senator Kenny Mann, R-Monroe, amended the bill to clarify certain language.
HB 2708 would allow persons with developmental disabilities to receive a base hunting license and to satisfy the training requirements through a modified training course, and authorizes those persons to lawfully hunt while accompanied and directly supervised by another hunter.
Natural Resources Chair, Senator Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, amended the bill on behalf of decisions made in the Senate Natural Resources Committee to incorporate the provisions of Senate Bills 325, 474 and 380 into the bill.
HB 2720 would permit the School Building Authority to transfer funds from the School Construction Fund into a special revenue account in the State Treasury.
HB 2804 would remove chiropractic physicians from the list of medical professionals required to complete continuing education in the area of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans.
HB 2857 would create the West Virginia Safer Workplaces Act to allow employers to test employees and prospective employees for drugs and alcohol.
HB 3018 would add the definition of correctional employee to the list of persons against whom an assault is a felony.
HB 3030 would clarify that appeals to the Supreme Court are a matter of right and that every party has an opportunity to be heard.
HB 3093 would establish Broadband Enhancement and Expansion Policies, move the existing Broadband Enhancement Council into a new chapter and authorize the establishment of cooperative associations for the purpose of obtaining internet services.
Government Organization Chair, Senator Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, amended the bill on behalf of decisions made in the Senate Government Organization Committee.
Senator Blair amended the Government Organization amendment to make technical corrections.
HB 3102 would permit the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Resources to sell Hopemont Hospital and its assets.
Of those bills on third reading, HB 2916 was referred to the Senate Rules Committee. The bill would have authorized supervising entities to authorize reserve deputies, ambulance crew members, firefighters, rescue squad members and emergency service personnel to carry firearms.
The Senate then advanced 16 bills from second reading.
HB 2002 would modify the law requiring parental notification of abortions performed on unemancipated minors.
Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, motioned for the bill to advance to third reading with the right to amend.
HB 2109 would include a municipal land bank as an agency within the West Virginia Land Reuse Agency Authorization Act and that a municipal land bank may acquire tax delinquent property.
Senator Blair amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Government Organization Committee to add several provisions relating to the acquisition of property, as well as a definition of “municipal land bank.”
HB 2196 would allow for the participation of home schooled students in certain secondary school activities.
Senator Mann amended the bill to make technical corrections to an original amendment to the bill from the Senate Education Committee.
Senator Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, further amended the bill to make a technical correction.
HB 2359 would align the criminal penalties of practicing osteopathic medicine with those of practicing allopathic medicine.
Judiciary Chair, Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, amended the bill on behalf of decisions made in the Senate Judiciary Committee to incorporate the provisions of HB 2630 into the bill.
HB 2520 would prohibit the use of a tanning device by a person under the age of eighteen.
HB 2637 would extend the date for expiration of provisions related to the employment of a retired teacher as a substitute beyond the post-retirement limit in areas of critical need and shortage to June 30, 2020.
Senator Mann amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Education Committee to create a new section related to regular employment status for prospective employable professional personnel.
HB 2648 would increase criminal penalties for individuals convicted of manufacturing, delivering, or transporting controlled substances in the presence of a minor.
Senator Trump amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to add a new section specifically addressing situations of child neglect by voluntary intoxication.
HB 2651 would require nationally normed standardized achievement tests to be administered to nonpublic students between the ages of seven and 17.
HB 2674 would provide access to and receipt of certain information regarding protected persons by certain relatives of the protected person.
HB 2675 would designate the placement of nonpartisan judicial offices on the primary election ballot.
Senator Trump amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to add provisions related to the office of county surveyor, as well as add a subsection allowing voters to opt for “None of these candidates,” during presidential primary elections.
HB 2684 would impose penalties for repeat violations of the prohibition on driving under the influence on a suspended license by persons under the age of twenty-one.
Senator Trump amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to add language relating to second and third offenses.
HB 2694 would develop and implement a program to facilitate commercial sponsorship of rest areas, welcome centers and roads.
Majority Leader Ferns motioned for the bill to advance to third reading with the right to amend.
HB 2704 would prohibit persons convicted of sexual offenses against children with whom they hold positions of trust from being employed by any educational, vocational, training, day care, group home, foster care program, or rehabilitation facility in the state.
Senator Trump amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to make technical corrections.
HB 2711 would abolish Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA) and funding by July 1, 2017, and provide authority for county school systems to share services, modify school accreditation and accountability measures, alter school and school system intervention procedures and requirements and reduce statewide student assessment requirements.
Senator Mann amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Education Committee to make several modifications to the provisions of the bill, including the addition of language prohibiting the adoption of Common Core standards, prohibiting Smarter Balance or PARCC testing and establishing educational services cooperatives.
Senator Mann further amended the bill to make a technical correction.
HB 2745 would add provisions for the testing of applicants for the position of Advanced Care Technician for those municipalities which provide an advance life support ambulance service.
HB 2781 would amend the effective dates for the voter identification and registration provisions adopted in the 2016 legislative session and to eliminate the requirement that DMV forward information to the Secretary of State for persons who decline to be registered to vote.
Senator Trump amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to require the Division of Motor Vehicles to report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance by January 1, 2018 with a full and complete list of all infrastructure they require to achieve the provisions of the bill.
Of those bills on second reading, HB 2620 was referred to the Senate Rules Committee. The bill would have created a central repository of drug overdose information in West Virginia.
The Senate is in recess until 6 p.m. this evening.
