As of 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 29, 2003, the 22nd day of the 2003 Regular Legislative Session, 779 bills have been introduced in the House of Delegates. Five bills were passed by the House this week and will now go to the Senate for its consideration. Of those, four were Sunset Bills.
Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 2090 would require the Ethics Commission to establish a code of conduct for state administrative law judges. The code of conduct would require the judges to avoid impropriety while maintaining the integrity and impartiality of the office, while both on and off duty. The code also would establish civil penalties and sanctions for violations.
Sunset bills passed by the House
Engrossed House Bill 2486 would continue the Public Employee’s Insurance Agency (PEIA) until July 1, 2005.
Engrossed House Bill 2554 would continue the Marketing and Development Division of the Department of Agriculture. This division regulates and licenses individuals involved in marketing of agricultural products, as well as providing grading, inspection, and market news services to the West Virginia agricultural industry.
Engrossed House Bill 2555 would continue West Virginia’s membership in the Southern Regional Education Compact. Membership in the Southern Regional Education Compact provides services to West Virginia, which include identifying best practices and predicting future trends in all member states, which assists West Virginia in determining the best allocation and use of resources so as to meet educational needs.
Engrossed House Bill 2670 would continue the Office of Judges until July 1, 2009. The Office of Judges is responsible for establishing procedures for the hearing and determining of disputed claims, as well as the delegation of necessary powers to administrative law judges or hearing examiners so the administrative review of disputed claims can be conducted.
A sampling of bills introduced in the House
House Bill 2671 would simplify the process for adopting a child from a foreign country. The bill would set forth a specific process by which people wishing to adopt a child from another country must follow to have the adoption recognized by the state.
House Bill 2674 would require the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families to develop and implement a pilot plan establishing a system of family resource centers and provide grants to local centers.
House Bill 2741 would establish a Citizen Review Panel to evaluate the procedures of Child Protective Services. The 15-member panel would consist of doctors, lawyers, child advocates, social service providers and other specialized individuals. All information garnered by the panel would be confidential.
House Bill 2558 would require that a public utilities company have a place where a person can make a payment somewhere within the county where the company provides service.
House Bill 2546 would modify the criminal intent requirement for animal cruelty crimes and to increase the fine applicable to convicted persons. The bill would create a felony offense for intentionally torturing or maliciously killing animals and would mandate that a person convicted of animal cruelty be prohibited from possessing, owning or residing with animals for varying periods depending on whether the person is convicted of a misdemeanor or felony.
House Bill 2693 would provide the West Virginia State Police with the ability to define and draw DNA samples from convicted felons for the purpose of maintaining a DNA database. Anyone convicted of a felony offense would be subject to have some form of blood, tissue or other bodily fluids taken as a sample for the purpose of analyzing and filing away the DNA information.
House Bill 2691 would authorize nonlicensed personnel to administer medication in nursing homes.
House Bill 2527 would establish the “Clean Elections Act”. This measure would create a voluntary system of public funding to qualified political candidates who agree to accept spending limits and do no other private fund raising.
House Bill 2528 would create a 10-member flood task force and nine-member advisory panel. The task force would establish policies for the coordination of local, state and federal governmental responses to flooding, as well as examine flood prevention initiatives and review the status of flood mapping.
House Bill 2533 would create the West Virginia Highway Authority (WVHA), which would include representatives from Cabell, Mason, Jackson, Putnam and Wayne counties. The purpose of the WVHA would be to advance the construction of a modern highway through Cabell, Mason, Jackson, Putnam and Wayne counties, as well as improving the tourism industry in the area.
House Bill 2688 would gradually eliminate the consumer sales tax on food and food products sold for human consumption when the food is taken off the premises where sold.
House Bill 2748 would prevent mail order or Internet sales of cigarettes or tobacco products to persons under the age of 18. The bill also would establish criteria for verifying the ages of potential customers.
