The Senate has completed legislation on nine bills now to be sent to the governor for enaction.
SB 40 would require protocols for responding to after-school injuries or emergencies to be included in school crisis response plans.
SB 535 would reorganize the Division of Tourism as the new West Virginia Tourism Office.
SB 687 would relate generally to coal mining, coal mine safety and environmental protection.
HB 2447 would rename the Court of Claims the state Claims Commission and rename judges as commissioners.
HB 2555 would remove the requirement that programs be jointly administered by labor and management trustees in order to qualify for tax credits for apprenticeship training in construction trades.
HB 2721 would eliminate the cap on the size of projects constructed by the Division of Highways.
HB 2722 would remove the financial limitations on how many design build projects may be undertaken by the Division of Highways.
HB 2731 would clarify that only civil actions with controversial amounts exceeding $7,500 must be heard in circuit court, except in actions relating to real estate installment sales contracts or actions confined exclusively by the Constitution to some other tribunal.
HB 2846 would include high school students participating in a competency-base pharmacy technician education and training program, as persons qualifying to be a pharmacy technician trainee.
The Senate also passed eight bills to be sent to the House for concurrence.
HB 2620 would create a central repository of drug overdose information in West Virginia.
The bill was advanced to second reading, where Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan, amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Judiciary Committee to make provisions related to the creation of the Office of Drug Control Policy in the DHHR, as well as add certain reporting requirements and give the DHHR authority over making necessary rules to implement the bill’s provisions.
Members of the Senate voted to override constitutional rules to move the bill to third reading, allowing the bill to then be passed.
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.
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.
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.
HB 2887 would authorize Boards of Governors of institutions of higher education to develop retirement and incentive packages.
HB 2936 would eliminate master contracts that agencies may currently use to purchase certain commodities.
HB 3020 would provide that the penalty for hunting, trapping or fishing on the lands of another, entering upon posted lands or destroying posted land signs shall be equivalent to the penalty for criminal trespass.
The bill had been advanced with the right to amend. Senator Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Natural Resources Committee to add provisions related to wildlife resources and law enforcement measures.
HB 3096 would allow more local review and control over the operation of, and setting rates, fees and charges for, water and sewer utilities that are owned by political sub-divisions of the state.
The bill had been advanced with the right to amend. Senator Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, amended the bill on behalf of the Senate Government Organization Committee to add a new paragraph relating to the process by which a customer may challenging changed rates, as well as clarify new term definitions.
The Senate is in recess until 9:45 p.m. this evening.
