House Bill 2934 seeks to repeal the Common Core State Standards. The bill establishes through a series of findings the increasing federal intrusion on West Virginia’s Process for Improving Education, including its standards, assessments and accountability system and some of the negative consequences. It also makes findings with respect to this inappropriate usurpation of state sovereignty over public education.
House Bill 2976 would expand the eligible master’s and doctoral level programs for which a Nursing Scholarship may be awarded. The bill provides broader language to allow a wider swath of programs to be included for this scholarship. The scholarship awards up to $15,000 is available depending on the program.
House Bill 2496 would adopt the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The bill aims to strengthen access to health care. The Compact provides a streamlined process that allows physicians to become licensed in multiple states, thereby enhancing the portability of a medical license and ensuring the safety of patients. The Compact creates another pathway for licensure and does not otherwise change a state’s existing medical practice statutes.
House Bill 2550 would increase the number of unexcused absences of a student before action may be taken against the parent. The bill increases the number of absences from five to ten before legal action can be taken against the parent for truancy.
House Bill 2790 relates to minimum responsibility limits of car insurance. The purpose of this bill is to give effect to the explicit terms of a bargained-for motor vehicle liability policy where certain drivers are excluded from coverage. Specifically, this bill is intended to overturn Jones v. Motorists Mutual Insurance Company, 177 W. Va. 763 (1987) and its progeny that require insurers to nevertheless provide minimum financial responsibility limits coverage for drivers who are excluded from coverage under the terms of a motor vehicle liability policy.
House Bill 2515 relates to elk restoration. The bill requires the Division of Natural Resources to take an active role in the reintroduction of the elk species to the state. The bill establishes a fine for the illegal taking of elk. The bill makes findings and provides for rule-making. The bill requires hunters to electronically register the taken wildlife in lieu of its delivery to an official checking station.
House Bill 2880 would create a pilot program to assist participants in addressing their dependence on opioids, by maintaining abstinence from the use of those substances and reducing recidivism. The program provides for alternate treatment methods and use of different medications aimed at reducing dependency.
House Bill 2999 relates to neonatal abstinence centers. It requires the secretary to promulgate a licensure program and rules and requires the state agency to consider neonatal abstinence care as a unique service in conducting certificate of need review. It also exempts neonatal abstinence centers from moratoriums on certain nursing facilities.
House Bill 2914 provides for voluntary dissolution of resort area district. The bill establishes a procedure for a dissolution. The bill permits nominations for resort area board members be made by mail or electronic means. The bill permits property owners to make nominations. The bill provides for election of board members by plurality vote instead of by a majority vote. The bill limits the amount of assessments that may be levied against a parcel of real property.
House Bill 2931 will add drugs to the classification of schedule I drugs and rewrites the licensing requirement for the practice of medicine and surgery or podiatry. This bill is typically updated to address synthetic drugs which are developed. It will add three hallucinogenic substances, or which contains any of its salts, isomers and salts of isomers, whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation as well as eleven tryptamines. It also adds ten substituted amphetamines.
House Bill 2939 makes clear that the reporting requirements “specifically include reported, disclosed or observed conduct involving or between students enrolled in a public or private institution of education, or involving a student and school teacher or personnel.”
House Bill 2557 would amend the human trafficking statute so that certain definitions and provisions conform to provisions of a bill on Human Trafficking that has been approved by the Uniform Law Commission and unanimously approved by the ABA House of Delegates.
House Bill 2688 will provide for the unitization of interests in drilling units in connection with all horizontal oil or gas wells. The bill sets forth application requirements. The bill establishes the standard of review. The bill provides for shallow horizontal well orders. The bill requires notice and timeliness. The bill provides for hearings. The bill addresses oil and gas produced from horizontal wells, vertical shallow wells, existing deep well units, and unconventional reservoirs.
House Bill 2902 will authorize the establishment of savings plan program to be administered by the State Treasurer for the benefit of individuals with a disability, known as the “Achieving a Better Life Experience in West Virginia Act” or the “West Virginia ABLE Act”. It is similar in nature to the current 529 college savings program for college tuition administered by the Treasurer.
House Bill 2549 would require the preparation and publication or notice of county financial statements by October 15 rather than “within ninety days after the first session held after the beginning of each fiscal year.”
House Bill 3017 would provide information and training to help address sudden cardiac arrest in interscholastic athletes. Interscholastic athlete is defined as any athlete who is participating in interscholastic athletics at a high school or middle school that is a member of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission. The approach is similar to that taken on concussions and head injuries. The bill requires the promulgation and minimum contents of rules by the SSAC.
House Bill 2636 would protect the privacy of concealed weapon permit holders. The bill provides that information relating to applications for concealed weapon permits is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. The bill further provides that information collected in the application process for a concealed weapon permit is confidential and provides criminal penalties for violations.
House Bill 2664 to be known as “Andrea and Willy’s Law”, would increase penalties for causing death or injury while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It will generally increase the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.
