The Senate convened Friday morning to discuss ten bills that were on third reading.
The most notable bill was Senate Bill 237. This legislation would require law-enforcement agencies with jurisdiction to accept a missing person complaint, and specifies the minimum information that law-enforcement agencies must attempt to collect from a complainant. It would require law-enforcement agencies receiving a missing person complaint to ensure that a report of the complaint and relevant information is entered into the state-level West Virginia Automated Police Network and when applicable, several other national databases, including those maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The bill also prohibits a law-enforcement agency from delaying a missing person investigation pursuant to a written or unwritten policy requiring that a certain time period pass from receipt of a complaint or the date on which the person was last seen before an investigation may commence.
Some senators spoke to the bill, and how it will greatly help future families who lose family members. The bill was passed unanimously, and will be reported to the House on Monday.
The Senate also passed Senate Bill 263 which would limit the amount of pay which a member of the legislature may receive following the regular session of the Legislature when a state budget has not been passed. It also clarifies that a member is entitled to receive no more than five days of compensation for any extended or extraordinary session if a budget has not been passed.
Other bills that passed the Senate included:
- Senate Bill 16 – Authorizing expenditure of surplus funds by Wyoming County Commission
- Senate Bill 30 – Eliminating tax on annuity considerations collected by life insurer
- Senate Bill 90 – Transferring Safety and Treatment Program from DHHR to DMV
- Senate Bill 323 – Establishing revenue fund and source to support Department of Agriculture’s improvement to facilities
- Senate Bill 343 – Relating to review and approval of state property leases
- Senate Bill 346 – Changing rate which certain judges are paid for mileage when traveling within state
- Senate Bill 256 – Requiring MAPS provide state and federal prosecutors information
- Senate Bill 453 – Relating to background checks of certain financial institutions
Senate Bills 555 to 563 were also introduced.
The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m.
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