As of 4 p.m. on Friday, February 8th, 944 bills have introduced in the House of Delegates. Of those bills, 77 have been passed.
House Bill 2607 is a bill that would make certain technical changes to existing code regarding the licensure of nursing homes. It would change the language to revise the reportage requirements for licensed nursing homes in the state. The strike-and-insert legislation cleans up some language in the previous code in order to better specify the Secretary of DHHR’s administrative responsibilities, as well as specify the requirements of licensed state nursing homes as far as reportage goes.
House Bill 2612 would authorize the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to update rules regarding the source water protection plans throughout the state. Currently, each public water utility is mandated to report the status of their water and a water protection plan to the state commission every three years. This bill would allow the timeframe of this reportage to be more flexible in order to give these water utilities more time to review the status of their water protection.
House Bill 2779 is a bill that would transfer unclaimed funds produced from abandoned oil and gas wells to the WV Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund. If an oil/gas well remains unclaimed for seven years, the proceeds from that well will go to the state fund, which works to plug orphaned and nonfunctioning oil and gas wells throughout the state.
House Bill 2363 would authorize the length that the Upper Kanawha Valley Resiliency Program to be extended to the end of October 2024 instead of 2020. The program is required to report its findings and accomplishments to the Legislature every October until then. This program is an effort to revitalize the upper areas of the Kanawha Valley, an area that has been economically struggling since the closure of a community college within the region.
House Bill 2490 is a bill that would allow public pools in the state to make small renovations and improvements without consulting the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources. The bill would also prevent the Secretary from proposing or enforcing any rules which prevent recreational water facilities from making necessary upgrades, renovations, or repairs. These renovations could not exceed $25,000. This bill also passed through the House unanimously.
House Bill 2691 would change the expiration dates for newly issued concealed carry permits in the state of WV. Instead of the expiration of these permits occurring five years to the date of application, this bill would mandate that the expiration occurs on the applicant’s birthday after the permit has been active for five years. This would ensure simplicity as to when the licenses expire, and aligns the expiry of concealed carry licenses with state drivers’ licenses expiration dates.
Senate Bill 268 updates the meaning of federal taxable income in the West Virginia Corporation Net Income Tax Act. The provides that for tax year 2018, the meaning of terms in the West Virginia statues relating to corporate net income taxes will have the same meaning as those terms have under federal statutes as amended between December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2019.
Senate Bill 269 updates terms used in personal income tax act. The bill would amend provisions of the WV Code relating to the WV personal income tax. The bill provides that for tax year 2018, the meaning of terms in the West Virginia statutes relating to personal income taxes will have the same meaning as those terms have under federal statues as amended during 2018.
House Bill 2004 provides for a program of instruction in workforce preparedness.
House Bill 2420 establishes the Mountaineer Trail Network Recreation Authority.
House Bill 2666 relates to supplemental appropriation to the Department of Veterans Assistance. The purpose of this bill is to appropriate $6,200,000 in general revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 to the Department of Veterans’ Assistance, for expenditure during the fiscal year in 2019.
House Bill 2668 relates to supplemental appropriation to the Department of administration, Public Defender Services. The purpose of this bill is to appropriate $15,300,00 in general revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, to the Department of Administration, for expenditure during the fiscal year 2019.
House Bill 2392 is a bill which would allow 1-day licenses to be issued by the Alcoholic Beverages Commission for charitable events. This would allow those who are hosting a charitable event to apply for a single day license to sell non-intoxicating alcohol, such as beer and wine.
House Bill 2545 would exempt purple heart recipients and other military veterans receiving other specific distinguished awards from paying a state vehicle registration fee. West Virginia individuals who qualify for this exemption would be allowed to put it towards one noncommercial vehicle.
House Bill 2554 would establish attendance zones in the state that would designate which schools a student would attend. The bill would also allow counties to voluntarily have “open enrollment” policies which would allow students to transfer into a school without preclearance from their original school, as current statute mandates.
House Bill 2740, a bill that specified the instances in which parent can get inheritance from a child and vice versa. This bill would specify that in the state of West Virginia, a parent cannot take their child’s inheritance if their parental rights have been or could have been taken away. It also provides that as long as there isn’t a present will, a child can reap inheritance from a parent who does not have parental rights. This bill would ensure that a child can still receive inheritance.
Bills Being Considered by the House This Week:
House Bill 2528 would authorize the West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture to employ a general counsel that would be necessary to perform the duties of the office.
House Bill 2696 would create a naming convention to records lands owned by the state in an index system for easy cross-reference to county indexes. This would create an index system for attorneys searching for title information that would be specific to each county. This new series of books would mostly serve to provide easily accessed information regarding state agencies whose names have changed. For example, information pertinent to the WV Division of Highways would also be made more accessible under the agency’s previous name, the State Roads Commission
House Bill 2601 would ensure the review and approval of state property leases by requiring two signatures and the review and approval of leasing of state property to nongovernment entities.
House Bill 2441 would amend current statute which requires the employers working on publicly funded construction projects to submit payroll information containing their employees’ counties of residence, addresses, and the number of employees working on a given project. The bill would strike this requirement, allowing the WV Division of Labor to get needed compliance information from already conducted spot-checks.
House Concurrent Resolution 25 is a resolution that would request the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study and analyze the discrepancy between estimates and actual readings of electrical meters. This is due to widespread state complaints regarding electrical meters.
House Bill 2583 is a bill that would permit a pharmacist to dispense a self-administered hormonal contraceptive under a standing prescription drug order. The proposed legislation would create an opt-in program, where pharmacists could voluntarily dispense a 12-month supply of hormonal birth control. Pharmacists who wish to opt into this program must receive training and administer the proper counseling to patients who seek to receive the contraceptive drug.
House Bill 2338 is a bill that would allow owners of antique military vehicles to display alternate registration insignia compatible with the original, antique markings of the vehicle, in lieu of a standard West Virginia license plate.
House Bill 2359 would exempt commercial motor vehicle operators employed with a farm related service industry from the commercial driver’s license requirements. West Virginia citizens employed in the fields of agrichemical business, harvesting, livestock feeding, and other applicable careers would be exempt from getting a commercial driver’s license for a limited time.
House Bill 2692 was also passed by the House Committee on Government Organization, a bill that would equalize the candidacy filing dates for third party candidates, independent candidates, and the two major parties for state offices.
House Bill 2801 is a bill to require abortions performed in the state to be performed by a licensed physician. As amended, House Bill 2801 specifies that surgical abortion procedures must be performed by a licensed physician, thus preventing nurses from performing surgeries they’re not licensed to perform.
House Bill 2867 is a bill that would move the Medicare Fraud Control Unit from the jurisdiction of the WV Inspector General’s Office to the WV Attorney General’s Office.
