As of 4 p.m., Wednesday, February 11th, 2004, the 29th Day of the 2004 Regular Legislative Session, 1,043 bills have been introduced in the House of Delegates. Of those, 21 measures have been passed by the House since Feb. 5 and were sent to the State Senate for further consideration.
Committee Substitute for House Bill 3083 would allow magistrate court to be held in various locations throughout the state temporarily if the magistrate determines it is in the best interest of the public to do so; it would be cost effective; and, the interests of justices would be served.
House Bill 3097 would allow for all civil actions concerning West Virginia University to take place in Monongalia County and all actions regarding Marshall University to take place in Cabell County, rather than Kanawha County where they currently take place.
House Bill 3150 would prohibit state entities from requiring that any performance, payment, or surety bond required or permitted by this section be obtained from any particular surety company, agent, broker, or producer. This includes state officers, employees of any public agency, public authority, public corporation, or other public entity, including county commissions and municipalities.
House Bill 4011 would give terms found in the West Virginia Personal Income Tax statutes the same meaning as those found in Federal Income Tax statutes.
House Bill 4012 would give terms found in the West Virginia Corporation Net Income Tax statutes the same meaning as those found in Federal Income Tax statutes.
Committee Substitute for House Bill 4086 would include veterans from the Gulf War and Afghanistan conflicts on the Veterans’ Council.
House Bill 4259 would increase the cost of rabies vaccinations for the states’s dogs and cats at a clinic established by the County Commission from four dollars to eight dollars.
House Bill 4138 would prohibit someone from falsely representing himself as a public official or employee by copying or imitating markings of an official vehicle on his or her motor vehicle. This measure would charge a first time offender with a misdemeanor resulting in possibly one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. For a second offense, the individual would receive a felony charge and confined to a penitentiary for one to 10 years and/or fined $2,000.
House Bill 4140 would require that the Ethics Commission establish a code of conduct for state administrative law judges. Provisions in the code would include that state administrative law judges uphold integrity and independence of the administrative judiciary; avoid impropriety in all activities; and refrain from political activity inappropriate to the office.
House Bill 4142 would require County Clerks to create and post a disclaimer in their offices advising that certain restrictive agreements based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, familial status, blindness, handicap or national origin are invalid and unenforceable.
House Bill 4144 would allow secretaries to set appointments for agents. Currently, secretaries are not allowed to establish the agent’s appointments. The legislation states this prohibition is costly, time consuming and counterproductive to the agent’s management of time.
House Bill 4148 would allow bail bondsmen to deliver offenders to county or regional jails without the appropriate papers, if they are unable to access the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Under this bill, the bondsman is required to claim the bailpiece from the Clerk by the next judicial day or face misdemeanor charges.
House Bill 4259 would revise the current composition, powers and duties of the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families. The Cabinet would, among other duties, oversee technical assistance and appropriate money that may be available for family resource networks. It also would evaluate early parent education programs and other community based initiatives. In addition, the Cabinet would be responsible for setting targets and exploring new strategies for improving the lives of children and families in the state.
House Bill 4287 would eliminate the limitation on seniority rights and the requirement that funding be derived from the institution’s existing budget as in exisitng law. Currently, the law provides for payment of an annual salary increment for higher education classified staff be paid from the existing budget of the colleges and universities. If funding the increments results in employee layoffs, then the layoffs may occur without regard to seniority of the employees. This measure would prevent these actions.
House Bill 4290 would create a framework that would prevent policies and practices from distracting attention and resources from the Legislature’s ability to provide an efficient system of education.
House Bill 4348 would provide $4.4 million from the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund to the Banking Services Fund, both of which are located in the Treasurer’s Office. The revenues to the Banking Services Fund have decreased over the past few years due to the decrease in interest rates, making the $4.4 million a necessity to meet obligations funded from the unclaimed property account.
House Bill 4349 would make technical corrections to sales tax law and update it as it relates to the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement among the states.
House Bill 4248 would continue the Office of the Environmental Advocate until July 1, 2007. House Bill 4304 would continue the Children’s Health Insurance Board until July 1, 2007.
House Bill 4350 would continue the West Virginia State Police until July 1, 2005.
House Bill 4351 would continue the Waste Tire Remediation Program until July 1, 2006.
