As of 4 p.m., Friday, February 16, 2018, the 38th day of the second regular session of the 83rd Legislature, 1,134 bills have been introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Of those bills, 86 have passed and have been sent to the Senate for further consideration. All of these bills have passed this week:
House Bill 2694 relates to the development and implementation of a program to facilitate commercial sponsorship of rest areas. The proposed bill is a carry-over from 2017 and is nearly identical to Com Sub for HB2694 (2017 RS) which was passed by the House during the 2017 legislative session and died on 3rd reading in the Senate.
House Bill 2841 would require board members to have attended a board meeting to be compensated for the meeting. The bill requires the member to attest to his or her attendance and it be witnessed. The bill requires records be kept for at least five years.
House Bill 2995 would permit certain animal euthanasia technicians who have been certified by other states be certified animal euthanasia technicians in West Virginia.
House Bill 3104 would transfer the West Virginia Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Fund to the Department of Health and Human Resources and would abolish the West Virginia Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Fund Board.
House Bill 4015 relates to the management and continuous inventory of vehicles owned, leased, operated, or acquired by the state and its agencies. The bill would establish the Fleet Management Office within the Department of Administration to create and maintain a centralized vehicle inventory system.
House Bill 4024 relates generally to direct cremation or direct burial expenses for indigent persons. The bill would amend the provisions of the West Virginia Code relating to funeral expenses for indigent persons and repeal provisions relating to the liability of relatives for support.
House Bill 4142 would provide certain employees of the Division of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, and West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority a salary adjustment. employees of the Division of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, and the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority who are employed as a correctional officer, a correctional trainer, a parole officer, or at a correctional center or complex, a regional jail, or a juvenile detention or corrections facility would see an increase in annual pay of $2,000 starting July 1, 2018. Additional raises of $2,000 each would be given again in July 2019 and July 2020.
House Bill 4268 is the Co-tenancy Modernization and Majority Protection Act. Under the bill, a majority of at least 75% of the undivided interest owners of the oil and gas, who consent, would be able to exercise their right to develop an oil and gas mineral property over the objections of a minority of cotenants totaling less than 25% of the undivided interests who refuse to consent to a lease. The 75% majority of consenting cotenants would also be free to exercise their rights to develop despite the existence of a minority of cotenants whose identity or location is unknown.
House Bill 4361 would bestow the West Augusta Award upon each West Virginian graduating from U. S. Military Academies with the highest grade point average.
House Bill 4402 relates to the prevention of sexual abuse of children. The bill requires that, beginning July 1, 2019, children in grades K-12 would receive body age-appropriate safety information at least once per academic school year, with a preference for four times per academic year.
House Bill 4462 allows off duty members and officers of the department of public safety to guard private property. The bill would amend West Virginia Code in §15-2-18 by removing the prohibition on officers or members of the department of public safety from hiring himself or herself to guard private property.
