As of 4 p.m., Wednesday, February 10th, 2010, the 29th day of the 79th Legislature’s 2nd Regular Session, 535 bills have been introduced in the Senate. Of those, seven have passed and have been sent to the House for its consideration. The Bills passed this week were:
Senate Bill 380 would prohibit the use of any animal in animal fighting ventures and expands the application of felony criminal penalties to include additional activities carried on for the purpose of supporting animal fighting.
Senate Bill 381 would prevent employees and officials of the Division of Banking from taking regulatory action involving financial institutions with whom they may have outstanding extensions of credit or pending applications for credit.
Senate Bill 420 would authorize the superintendent of the State Police to refuse a request to carry a handgun made by a retired trooper who does not live in West Virginia.
Senate Bill 499 would change the names of certain community & technical colleges.
A Sampling of Bills Introduced In the Senate
Senate Bill 465 would eliminate the requirement of the Public Service District or municipality from accepting payment, or knocking on the door, at the premises prior to termination of service for a delinquent water or sewer bill.
Senate Bill 468 would permit retirees receiving benefits from the West Virginia Consolidated Public Employees Retirement System to be employed by a county or municipality without a decrease in their annuity payments.
Senate Bill 474 would create the Green Buildings Act. If passed, this bill would require all major facility projects of public agencies be designed and constructed with the minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy, Environment and Design) standards included in the design process.
Senate Bill 482 would create the Long-Term Care Facility Safety Act. This bill would require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources to propose legislative rules. These rules include a policy for regulating access, a formal process to identify applicants to the facility who are subject to the Sex Offender Registration Act and a method for providing that information to residents.
Senate Bill 484 would limit landowners’ civil liability for injuries that may occur to person or property on the landowner’s property or surrounding property caused while hunting.
Senate Bill 485 would require a humane officer to notify the magistrate court when the officer has taken into custody an animal that has been abandoned or neglected.
Senate Bill 495 would require magistrates to possess at minimum a bachelor’s degree, or alternatively, an associate’s degree in criminal justice.
Senate Bill 502 would require the Department of Environmental Protection final actions for coal mine permits be completed within six months after the applicant provides all information required to make a final decision.
Senate Bill 507 would create the Innovative Mine Safety Technology Tax Credit Act. This act would provide a tax credit for coal companies that purchase innovative safety technology that is compiled by the Mine Safety Technology Task Force and approved by the Director of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training.
Senate Bill 516 would allow the Division of Natural Resources to issue permits for public shooting ranges to recover the costs of maintenance and to create additional public shooting ranges. The bill also provides penalties for violating the rules of public shooting ranges.
Senate Bill 529 would create the Surface Owners’ Rights Recognition Act. This bill would protect the rights of surface owners’ of property where an oil or gas well is to be located. The bill also requires operators to give notice of planned work and its impact upon the property before entry is made.
