As of 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 18, 2006, the eighth day of the Regular Session, 218 bills have been introduced in the Senate.
A Sampling of Bills Introduced in the Senate
Senate Bill 12 would make the use of handheld cell phones while driving an automobile a misdemeanor. The use of headsets or speaker systems would be an exemption in the proposed law. The bill would impose a fine of $100 or less for the first conviction and would not allow for points to be entered on convicted individuals’ drivers licences.
Senate Bill 13 would require child protective service workers, adult protective service workers, law-enforcement officers and humane officers in the pursuit of an investigation, to report to the appropriate agency or agencies if they find reason to suspect abuse of an individual or animal, other than those that were the subject of the initial investigation.
Senate Bill 18 would provide tuition waivers for the children or spouses of parole and probation officers who were killed in the line of duty.
Senate Bill 26 would require health insurance companies to cover the costs of smoking cessation services in the same manner the company covers other pharmaceuticals. The bill would allow for a fine of $10,000 to be imposed upon the insurance company for violations of this bill. An additional $10,000 could be imposed every 30 days that the insurance company does not comply with the legislation.
Senate Bill 70 would raise the amount of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage from 200 percent to 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
Senate Bill 75 would make it illegal to sell candy or fruit flavored cigarettes in West Virginia. Violations of this law, upon conviction, would result in a fine of $500 or less for the first conviction, and a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 upon each additional conviction and/or six months in jail.
Senate Bill 77 would allow for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to administer epinephrine to patients to treat allergic reaction and anaphylaxis. This bill would not impose a standard of care not already required by law.
Senate Bill 78 would increase the penalties for the use or possession of tobacco products by minors, including having drivers license privileges revoked until the age of 18, upon a second conviction.
Senate Bill 145 would require the State Board of Education to adopt and disseminate guidelines for individual diabetes care plans and require the local boards of education to implement these guidelines. As part of this measure, the information would be made available to teachers and other school personnel in order that appropriate support and assistance be given to students with diabetes. The bill would require the information in the diabetes care plan to meet or exceed the American Diabetes Association’s recommendations for care of children with diabetes in the school or child care environment.
Senate Bill 146 would raise the state minimum wage from $5.15 to $5.85 on June 30, 2006; $6.55 on June 30, 2007; and, $7.25 on June 30, 2008. This bill would raise the minimum wage in accordance with federal legislation currently being considered by Congress.
Senate Bill 147 would require non-government West Virginia employers with more than 10,000 employees to pay into a state fund to help subsidize state Medicare expenditures. Non-profit organization employers that do not pay 6 percent of the total wages into health care costs would be required to make payment, of the difference paid and amount due, into the state fund. Employers that are not non-profit and do not pay 8 percent of the total wages to health care costs would have to make up the difference through payment into the state fund.
Senate Bill 154 would create a sales tax exemption for certain e-commerce software companies. This exemption would seek to encourage these types of business to locate in West Virginia.
Senate Bill 160 would require the agency state, county or municipality that makes the initial arrest of a suspect to pay for the costs incurred for the first 24 hours of the individual’s incarceration.
Senate Bill 166 would restructure the State Parole Board. The board currently has five members. This bill would increase the number of members to nine and allow for the Governor to appoint the Chair of the Board.
Senate Bill 176 would allow for higher education providers to increase fees for students taking more than full-time hours. Undergraduate students taking 16 hours or more or graduate students taking nine or more hours could be charged for the additional hours taken above full-time (12 hours) at a rate of 1/9th of full-time rate per credit hour.
Senate Bill 179 would allow state employees who were unable to convert their sick leave time into their retirement fund, because they used it during a time of sickness, to buy it back through withholdings from their future pay.
Senate Bill 187 would require all local Boards of Education to develop and implement standards for all public school students to wear uniforms by 2008.
Senate Bill 202 would allow for the selection of the West Virginia Supreme Court Judges to be through nonpartisan election. The selection of judges would be through General Election beginning in 2008.
Senate Bill 208 would authorize Public Land Corporations to condemn abandoned structures in water ways that could cause potential flooding and erosion problems. The bill would allow eminent domain to be imposed by the Public Land Corporation on structures that pose potential flood damage. The bill would allow eminent domain only on structures placed on state land by right of entry granted by the state that cause obstruction to a water way, or could cause potential flood problems, or if the structure does not meet the specifications stated in the right of entry. Failure to obtain a right of passage would result in a fine not to exceed $500 per day that the violation exists.
