As of 4 p.m., Friday, February 5, 2016, the 24th day of the second session of the 82nd Legislature, 876 bills have been introduced in the House. Of those, 24 of the bills have passed and have been sent to the Senate for further consideration. Among those:
House Bill 4244 (Eliminating the need for a public hearing when no objection is filed on application from an out of state state-chartered credit union to establish a branch in West Virginia) would eliminate the need for public hearing to act on an application from an out of state credit union when no objection is filed within 10 days.
House Bill 4245 (Requiring the cashier or executive officer of a banking institution to provide shareholders with the institution’s most recent year-end audited financial statement) would replace the obsolete requirement of establishing an examining committee and clarify that a bank must employ an outside auditing firm. It also would provide for shareholders to be given the bank’s most recent year-end audited statement at their annual meeting.
House Bill 4311 (Relating to qualifications of members of the Board of Landscape Architects) would add citizen and non-practicing members to the board and provide for their removal upon obtaining an active license.
House Bill 4313 (Relating to qualifications of members of the Board of Architects) would add citizen and non-practicing members to the board and provide for their removal upon obtaining an active license. The bill would also provide an exemption to individuals with an inactive, retired or emeritus license from the prohibition against using the title.
House Bill 4235 (Relating to the publication requirements of estates) would work to make the time period for claims against the estate uniform in all counties. This particular bill would make identical change in the counties that have elected use the fiduciary supervisor system. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for further discussion.
House Bill 4175 (Relating generally to home schooling) would work to clarify that a student who is home schooled may not be classified as habitually absent. This bill would also work to remove the requirement that the person providing the home schooling instruction have a high school diploma. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for further discussion.
House Bill 4243 (Extending the time that certain nonprofit community groups are exempt from the moratorium on creating new nursing home beds) would work to extend the time that certain nonprofit community groups are exempt from the moratorium on creating new nursing home beds. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for discussion.
Additional House Bills
House Bill 4384 (Permitting students to opt out of taking certain academic assessments) would work to recognize the parental or legal guardianship authority to direct their children’s education, including the right to refuse certain academic assessments of their children. This bill is currently being discussed in the House Education Committee.
House Bill 4364 (Internet Privacy Protection Act) would work to the privacy of personal electronic data for employees and applicants for employment, and to authorize employers to investigate to ensure compliance with applicable protections of certain business information. This bill is currently being discussed in the House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 4363 (The Healthy and Safe Workplace Act) would work to create a new cause of action to deter workplace bullying. This bill would make it an unlawful employment practice to subject an employee to an abusive work environment that exists when the defendant, acting with malice, subjects an employee to abusive conduct so severe that it causes tangible harm to the employee. This bill is currently being discussed in the House Industry and Labor Committee.
House Bill 4347 (Providing pregnant women priority to substance abuse treatment) would work to give pregnant women priority to substance abuse treatment. This bill is currently being discussed in the House Select Committee on Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse.
House Bill 4391 (Issuing identification documents to homeless individuals residing at homeless shelters) would work to require the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide certain identification documents to homeless individuals, residing at homeless shelters within this state, at no cast. This bill is currently being discussed in House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 4388 (Relating to stroke centers) would work to require the Bureau for Public Health to designate certain hospitals as stroke centers and require the Office of Emergency Medical Services to establish protocols to treat and transport stroke patients. This bill is currently being discussed in the House Health and Human Resources Committee.
House Bill 4373 (Prohibiting exposing a dog or cat that is a companion animal to extreme weather conditions that result in injury or death) would work to prohibit exposing a dog or cat that is a companion to extreme weather conditions that results in injury or death. This bill is currently being discussed in House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
House Bill 2366 (Relating generally to the solicitation of minors) would amend the provisions of the current code that would allow law-enforcement officers to conduct undercover investigations to identify and prosecute adults who use computers to solicit minors or persons they believe to be minors for sexual activity. It also will create a new felony for the offense of soliciting a minor and then traveling to meet with an engage in any prohibited sexual activity or conduct with a minor.
House Bill 2511 (Health Care Sharing Ministries Freedom to Share Act) would exempt health care sharing ministries from state statutory requirements of individual and group accident and health insurance policies. The bill would also set forth the conditions that must be met.
House Bill 4145 (Relating to carry or use of a handgun or deadly weapon) would establish that anyone over 21 years of age can carry a concealed deadly weapon without a state license or permit.
House Bill 4163 (Providing the authority and procedure for municipalities to give notice to, and publish the names of, entities delinquent in paying business and occupation taxes) would provide municipalities with the authority and procedure to publish the names of entities delinquent in filing and paying business and occupation taxes.
House Bill 4393 (Relating to enhanced penalties for use of a firearm during commission of a felony) would provide for enhanced penalties for use of a firearm during commission of a felony, and it also would provide exceptions to such enhanced penalties.
