As of 4 p.m., Friday, February 12, 2016, the 31st day of the second session of the 82nd Legislature, 982 bills have been introduced in the House. Of those, 38 of the bills have passed and have been sent to the Senate for further consideration. Among those:
House Bill 2511 (Health Care Sharing Ministries Freedom to Share Act) would work to exempt health care sharing ministries from state statutory requirements of individual and group accident and health insurance policies. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for discussion.
House Bill 4145 (Relating to carry or use of a handgun or deadly weapon) would work to authorize residents of West Virginia to carry a firearm in a concealed manner, without permit, so long as certain conditions are met. The bill also permits eligible persons to carry a handgun for self-defense purposes, without permit. It states that carrying a concealed deadly weapon without a state license or other lawful authorization apply only to persons under 21 years old. This bill would permit persons 18 years and older to obtain a concealed carry permit. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for discussion.
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 work to provide municipalities with the authority and procedure by which they may publish the names of entities delinquent in filing and paying business occupation taxes. This bill will now be sent to the Senate to be discussed.
House Bill 4186 (Relating to additional duties of the Public Service Commission) would work to establish additional duties for the Public Service Commission related to developing a process to review towing operator charges for fairness. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for further discussion.
House Bill 2444 (Providing for the assignment of economic development office representatives to serve as Small Business Allies as facilitators to assist small business entities and individuals) would work to provide assistance to small businesses West Virginia Development office. The bill requires that the executive director of the West Virginia Development Office submit biennial reports that describe how the West Virginia Development Office is assisting small businesses and suggestions it has to make statutory or regulatory requirements imposed on small businesses more efficient. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for discussion.
House Bill 4012 (WV Religious Freedom Restoration Act) would provide a test courts can use as a guideline to provide a defense for those whose religious freedoms have been substantially burdened by state action. The test questions whether the religious belief is sincerely held, whether the state has a compelling interest in the situation and whether the state use the least restrictive means to handle the concern. The bill is not intended to create a claim,m but merely to provide guidance for tests when state action allegedly has substantially burdened the exercise of religion.
