Bills Passed from the House
House Bill 2006 (Increasing the penalties for violating the Whistle-blower Law) would increase the penalties for violating the Whistle-blower Law and authorize the termination from employment for a violation, instead of the current allowance of a suspension not to exceed six months. This bill is now being sent to the Senate for further discussion.
House Bill 2099 (Defining the act of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or serious bodily injury as a felony; Erin’s Law) would define the act of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or serious bodily injury as a felony and establish the act of leaving the scene of a crash that does not proximately cause death or injury as a misdemeanor. The bill defines what bodily injury and serious bodily injury.
Additional House Bills
House Bill 2303 (Increasing criminal penalties for littering) would increase the fines and community service hours for littering. This bill will be on 3rd Reading Monday.
House Bill 2319 (Relating to candidates or candidate committees for legislative office disclosing contributions) would require members of the Legislature to disclose contributions and fund-raising events while the Legislature is in session. It requires the information to be provided within 5 days of the event or receipt of contribution. It requires the Secretary of State to publish such information on the Secretary of State’s website within 1 day. This bill will be on 3rd Reading on Monday.
House Bill 2167 (Creating a Silver Alert program for senior citizens) would add senior citizens to the Silver Alert program. Silver Alert is a public system to notify the public about missing senior citizens. It uses various media platforms to get information out. This bill is on the House Calendar to be read for the first time on Monday.
House Bill 2007 (Eliminating courtesy patrol programs) would eliminate the courtesy patrol programs operated by the Divisions of Highways and the Parkways Authority. The funds from this program would be re-allocated to the State Road Fund. This bill was approved by the House Committee on Roads and Transportation and will go to House Finance for discussion.
House Bill 2205 (Eliminating heating oil for residential use from the Motor Fuel Excise Tax) would exempt heating oil used for residential purposes from the Motor Fuel Excise Tax. This bill was approved by the House Judiciary Committee and is going to House Finance for discussion.
House Bill 2223 (Relating to the DEP Air Quality Board) would authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a legislative rule relating to Permits for Construction, Modification, Relocation and Operation of Stationary Sources of Air Pollutants, Notification Requirements, Administrative Updates, Temporary Permits, General Permits, Permission to Commence Construction and Procedures for Evaluation. The bill was approved by the House Energy Committee and is going to House Judiciary for more discussion.
House Bill 2265 (Medicine, WV Board of Licensure, Disciplinary and Complaint Procedures, Continuing Education, Physician Assistants) would authorize the Board of Medicine to issue a legislative rule relating to Licensure, Disciplinary and Complaint Procedures, Continuing Education, Physician Assistants. The bill was approved by the Committee of Health and Human Resources and is being discussed in House Judiciary.
House Bill 2123 (Making the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind eligible to participate in any and all funding administered or distributed by the West Virginia School Building Authority) would make the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind eligible to participate in any and all funding administered or distributed by the West Virginia School Building Authority. The bill was approved by the Education Committee and will be discussed in the Finance Committee.
House Bill 2447 (Rename Court of Claims) would rename the Court of Claims as the state Claims Commission, rename the judges as commissioners. It modifies definitions and provides explicit powers for the removal of commissioners. It would provide authority to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance for hiring a clerk, chief deputy clerk, and deputy clerks. This bill was discussed in the House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 2103 (Making changes to the definition of contractor for purposes of the West Virginia Contractor License Act) would raise the amount required for a licensed contractor to do a construction job from $2,500 to $4,000. This bill was approved by the House Industry and Labor Committee and was sent to House Government Organization for discussion.
