The Senate convened Wednesday morning, and quickly addressed Governor Justice’s veto over Senate Bill 272.
The proposed legislation would update code relating to Commission on Special Investigations. In response to the veto, the Senate moved to amend the bill by striking everything before the enacting clause as to address the Governor’s concerns with the legislation. The Senate then passed the bill again, and will be reported to the House for further deliberation.
The Senate also passed 11 bill that were on third reading.
Senate Bill 360 would regulate third-party litigation financing. A litigation financing transaction is a non-recourse transaction in which financing by a third-party, who is unrelated to the case, is provided to a consumer in return for a consumer assigning to the litigation financier a contingent right to receive an amount of the potential proceeds of the consumer’s judgment, award, settlement, or verdict obtained with respect to the consumer’s legal claim.
Senate Bill 360 would add regulations to this type of business in West Virginia. The proposed regulations with this legislation would include:
- All litigation financiers to register with the secretary of state.
- Litigation financiers must:
- Provide the consumer with a completed, written agreement.
- Contract must contain a right of rescission within five days of receiving funds.
- Prohibits litigation financiers from:
- Paying, offering to pay, or accepting any commissions or referral fees to or from any attorney, law firm, medical provider, chiropractor, or physical therapist.
- May not use false or misleading advertisements.
- May not charge a consumer an annual fee of more than 18 percent of the original amount of money provided to the consumer
Senate Bill 512 would add regulation to pawnbrokers. Effective Jan. 1, 2021, the bill would require a pawnbroker to equip each of its locations with electronic monitoring and recording equipment. Video must be kept for 30 days. It also lists people from whom the pawnbroker may not purchase, accept in pawn, receive in trade or exchange for goods, such as minors or persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Senate also passed the following bills:
- Senate Bill 310: Establishing certain requirements for dental insurance
- Senate Bill 519: Requiring county emergency dispatchers complete course for telephonic cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Senate Bill 553: Relating to federal funds for land-grant institutions
- Senate Bill 587: Relating to PEIA reimbursement of air ambulance providers
- Senate Bill 601: Relating to mandatory supervision of adult inmates
- Senate Bill 636: Authorizing legislative rules for Higher Education Policy Commission
- House Bill 2607: Relating to the licensure of nursing homes
- House Bill 2666: Supplemental appropriation to the Department of Veterans’ Assistance
- House Bill 2668: Supplemental appropriation to the Department of Administration, Public Defender Services
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m.
The following committees will meet today:
Economic Development at 1:30 p.m. in 208W
Pensions at 2 p.m. in 451M
Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M
Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W
Gov. Org. at 4 p.m. in 208W
Banking at 5 p.m. in 451M
The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Transportation at 9 a.m. in 451M
Health at 1 p.m. in 451M
Education at 2 p.m. in 451M
Agriculture at 2 p.m. in 208W
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