As of 4 p.m., Wednesday March 3, 2010, the fiftieth day of the 79th Legislature’s 2nd Regular Session, 701 bills have been introduced in the Senate. Of those, 189 passed and have been sent to the House for consideration. The bills passed include:
Senate Bill 81 would create the West Virginia Official Prescription Program. The bill would establish prescription rules and requirements, including the requirement for all prescriptions to be written on an official tamper-proof form. The bill would require that prescription pads with tracking numbers be authorized to practitioners.
Senate Bill 118 would establish a requirement of parental consent for minors wishing to use tanning devices. Minors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when using a tanning device and minors ages 14 to 18 must have parental consent in the form of a signed statement before using a tanning device.
Senate Bill 130 would make the offense of failing to wear a safety belt a primary offense. The bill would lower the fine for committing this offense.
Senate Bill 175 would change the law relating to the purchase, sale, possession and use of fireworks. Among changes, the bill would provide for no local government regulation over consumer fireworks but instead be overseen by the State Fire Marshall who also would establish a Fireworks Safety Fund.
Senate Bill 219 would establish a Fleet Management Office within the Department of Administration. The bill would remove agency exemptions from the rules of the department relating to traveling. The department would also authorize emergency rules.
Senate Bill 225 would create the Spay Neuter Assistance Fund. This fund would be a special revenue account created in the State Treasury and would consist of gifts, donations and any additional appropriations by the Legislature. The money would be used to fund spay neuter programs throughout the state.
Senate Bill 394 would allow the Division of Motor Vehicles to use an electronic insurance verification program for the purpose of identifying uninsured motor vehicles. The bill would establish an online verification program that would apply to all non-commercial vehicles.
Senate Bill 398 would prohibit the landfill disposal of certain electronic devices. These devices would include computers, monitors and televisions. If passed, the bill would take effect January 2, 2011. The Solid Waste Management Board is to determine proper disposal procedures.
Senate Bill 446 would clarify that surviving spouses and dependents of deceased public employees are entitled to participate only in comprehensive group health insurance plans.
Senate Bill 457 would repeal many outdated laws, including prohibiting wearing hats in theaters, displaying red or black flags and cohabitation. The bill would also repeal the prohibition of engaging in certain labor activities on Sundays and swearing in public.
Senate Bill 507 would provide a tax credit to coal companies that purchase approved innovative safety technology. This list of technologies would be compiled by the Mine Safety Technology Task Force and approved by the director of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training. The bill would also establish criteria for what qualifies technology to be approved.
Senate Bill 518 would create a Governor’s Commission to Seize the Future of Energy for America. The commission would work with the President of the United States to research and create strategies in relation to utilizing the resources of West Virginia. The commission would be responsible for articulating West Virginia’s position on a solution for energy sources for the United States.
Senate Bill 574 would establish December 7 as “Pearl Harbor Day” to honor all West Virginia veterans who fought in World War II.
