As of 4 p.m., Thursday, February 13, 2014, the 37th day of the 2nd session of the 81st Legislature, 1147 bills have been introduced in the House. Of those, 34 of those have passed and have been sent to the Senate for further consideration. Among those:
House Bill 4208 would update the state list of controlled substances to ban several synthetic hallucinogenic drugs.
House Bill 4214 would require the chief medical officer of a mental health facility to offer patient assistance in identifying and designating someone to serve as a durable medical power of attorney for a stable, discharged patient.
House Bill 4237 would add electronic cigarettes, vapor products and alternative nicotine products to the list of items prohibited to those under the age of 18.
House Bill 4278 would rewrite the procedure by which corporations are authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the West Virginia Board of Medicine.
House Bill 4283 would raise the minimum wage from its current rate of $7.25 per hour to $8.00 beginning January 1, 2015. The rate would increase again to $8.75 per hour again beginning January 1, 2016.
House Bill 4336 would prohibit a school or school system from being under the control of the state board for more than five years. The state board would be required to hold a public hearing in order to take control again with three years of returning control to the county board.
House Bill 4412 would allow a one-day license for the sale of nonintoxicating beer and wine for events raising money for artistic, athletic, charitable, educational, or religious purposes. The license would be $25. House Bill 4421 would allow lottery prize payments to be made by any method of payment acceptable by the Federal Reserve System, including electronic funds transfer.
A sampling of bills introduced in the House:
House Bill 4439 would grant the Department of Agriculture the authority to create and maintain the Veterans and Warriors to Agriculture Fund to support West Virginian veterans in agriculture. This program would return post-mine land to an agricultural purpose, increase the apiary and aquaculture industries, explore niche crops and develop livestock.
House Bill 4441 would permit a teacher with a concealed deadly weapon license to carry the weapon on school property with approval by the county board and by passing a drug test. The purpose would be to protect students and school employees.
House Bill 4468 would authorize local units of government to adopt clean energy programs and create districts to promote the use of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements by the owners of real property. This would be funded by voluntary property assessments, commercial lending and other means.
House Bill 4510 would establish a bill of rights for children in foster care. Rights would include protection and communication with his or her own family, nurturing foster parents selected to meet his or her needs, a safe foster home, communication with the assigned social or case worker, permission to remain enrolled at the same school if possible, a bank account, permanent documents, meaningful participation in a transition plan if phasing out of foster care, and participation in extracurricular activities, community events and religious practices.
