As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, the 50th day of the 2006 Regular Session, 165 bills have been passed by the Senate and sent to the House for its consideration. The following bills are a sampling of those passed by the Senate since Thursday, February 23:
Senate Bill 10 would allow a credit against a taxpayer’s tax liability for contributions to a community foundation with limitations on credits. This measure relates to personal income and corporation net income tax credits.
Senate Bill 18 would add the children and spouses of parole and probations officers killed in the line of duty to the individuals who can receive tuition and fee waivers at state institutions of higher education.
Senate Bill 219 would change the expiration for level one instructional permits and level two driver’s licenses. The bill would make level one permits and level two driver’s licenses valid until 30 days after the applicant turns 18 years old. The measure also prohibits the use of wireless communication devices, including cell phones, by a holder of a level one instructional permit or a level two intermediate driver’s license who is under the age of 18. This provision would only be enforced as a secondary violation and does not apply to those minors who are using the wireless communication device to contact a 9-1-1 system.
Senate Bill 251 would create the Beckley-Raleigh County Building Code Authority, which would oversee the state building code for the city of Beckley and Raleigh County. The authority would be equally supported by the Raleigh County Commission and the city of Beckley. The measure also would require Raleigh County and the city of Beckley to provide one half of the funds necessary to maintain the functions of the authority.
Senate Bill 265 would add to the West Virginia Veterans Memorial Monument the names of all West Virginians who died and may die while serving the United States in the Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan or Iraq conflicts.
Senate Bill 489 would, upon written request of a political subdivision, authorize the State Treasurer to provide services of his or her office to a political subdivision and charge the subdivision for those provided services.
Senate Bill 496 would allow the transport of wildlife outside of the state for residents and nonresident who have legally killed, taken or capture game. If an individual does not legally kill, take or capture wildlife, he or she would be guilty of a misdemeanor and, if convicted, be fined between $20 and $300 and imprisoned in jail between 10 and 60 days.
Senate Bill 575 would grant the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board the authority to restrict a licensee’s ability to work until he or she has satisfied an adverse judgment in favor of a consumer ordered by a magistrate court, circuit court or arbitration board.
Senate Bill 582 would require an income tax return preparer, who has filed more than 100 personal income tax returns for any taxable year that began after January 1, 2005, and he or she prepares one or more personal tax returns using a tax preparation software for a previous taxable year, to file all unamended personal income tax returns electronically. A tax preparer would not have to follow this measure if, for the previous taxable year, he or she prepared less than 25 personal income tax returns. In addition, electronic filing would not be required if the returns that were not required to be filed for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2006, returns for prior taxable years beginning before that date or amended returns for any taxable year.
Senate Bill 581 would amend the definition of “person” in relation to the motor fuel excise tax to include responsible persons. Specifically, the amended definition would include any estate, guardian, executor, administrator, limited partnership, co-partnership, organization, and any officer, employee or member of any of the listed terms who, as an officer, employee or member is under duty to perform or is responsible for the performance of an act prescribed by the provisions of the measure.
Senate Bill 591 would authorize the Tax Division to collect the cost of federal refund offset fees from a tax debtor. The measure also would create the Tax Offset Fee Administration Fund, which would be a special revolving fund within the State Treasury.
Senate Bill 598 would delete provisions that allowed for the distribution of accumulated contributions to the State Teacher Retirement System to a contributor with less than five years of service, who quits service or ceases to be a member, without their consent. The measure also would correct certain code references.
Senate Bill 604 would allow a state trooper who retires on a disability pension for an injury he or she sustained while in the line of duty to continue to receive a disability pension after age 55 instead of having the pension changed to a regular retirement pension.
Senate Bill 605 would allow applicants registering a vehicle or motorboat with the Division of Motor Vehicles to show the current year’s personal property tax receipt in addition to the previous calendar year’s receipt. This would eliminate the requirement that an applicant choosing to renew for two years show the tax receipts for the previous two years and allow the Division to accept verification of payment of personal property taxes by electronic means.
Senate Bill 751 would increase the pay of National Guard members to $100 dollars per day while he or she is in active service of the state. Currently, members of the National Guard are paid $75 a day.
Senate Bill 775 would allow a county commission to establish the annual salaries of the county commissioners, sheriff, circuit clerk, county clerk, assessor and prosecuting attorney. The measure also would provide additional compensation for an assessor for completing additional statutory duties.
Senate Bill 780 would prohibit expiration dates on gift certificates of less than three years with certain exceptions and limit imposition of various fees and charges that reduce the value of a gift certificate.
Senate Bill 789 would allow day report officers to arrest people charged with an offense or a violation of their supervision who surrender themselves to the officer. The bills also would allow the arrest of individuals already under supervision for certain violations committed in the officer’s presence.
Senate Bill 792 would merge Fairmont State Community and Technical College with Fairmont State University and rename the Community and Technical College of Shepherd to Blue Ridge Community and Technical College.
