Wednesday, February 26, 2025 – 15th Day of Session

 

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

  • SR 12: Designating February 26, 2025, as Corrections Day
  • SR 13: Memorializing life of Wanda Porterfield Casto
  • SR 14: Recognizing Leadership Berkeley

 

THIRD READING

 

  • Eng. SB 92: Glucagon for Schools Act
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency
  • Eng. SB 291: Extending time frame for pharmacies to register from annually to biennially
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 358: Authorizing Department of Transportation to promulgate legislative rules (original similar to HB 2278)
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 443: Authorizing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board of Examiners to conduct criminal background checks for licensing
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 462: Permitting Board of Occupational Therapy to require criminal history record checks

 

SECOND READING

 

  • SB 103: Exempting certain records from public release

 

FIRST READING

 

  • Com. Sub. for SB 5: Establishing Adopt-A-Road program
  • Com. Sub. for SB 50: Requiring municipal elections to be held on same day as statewide elections (original similar to HB 2422)
  • SB 234: Increasing value at which municipal property must be sold through public auction
  • Com. Sub. for SB 369: Authorizing miscellaneous boards and agencies to promulgate legislative rules (original similar to HB 2289)
  • Com. Sub. for SB 427: Permitting certain teenagers to work without obtaining work permit
  • Com. Sub. for SB 459: Requiring county economic development committee members be state residents (original similar to HB 2818)
  • Com. Sub. for SB 534: Clarifying qualifications to be licensed to administer polygraphs

Scheduled Committee Meetings

 

9:30 a.m.: Natural Resources (208W)

  • HCR 49: Resolution relating to use of industrial sites and the potential impacts on downstream facilities

1 p.m.: Select Committee on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health (451M)

  • Presentation: Deb Harris, Manager, Jobs and Hope West Virginia
  • SB 163: Including certain mental health disorders in existing public health programs
  • SB 515: Allowing parent to have adult dependent child involuntarily admitted for treatment and/or related procedures

1:30 p.m.: Judiciary Subcommittee on Senate Bill 246

  • SB 246: Violent Crime Prevention Act

2 p.m.: Agriculture (208W)

  • Staff Introductions
  • Organizational Motions

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

  • SB 484: Relating to disclosures and penalties associated with use of synthetic media and artificial intelligence
  • SB 486: Clarifying eligibility requirements to vote in WV elections
  • SB 488: Clarifying definition of electioneering
  • Com. Sub. for SB 489: Relating to election law violation complaints and procedures
  • SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia
  • SB 147: Establishing aggravated felony offense of reckless driving resulting in death

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

  • Budget Presentation: West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services
  • Budget Presentation: West Virginia Department of Veteran’s Assistance

 

** Committee times and agendas are subject to change **

 

Senate Bills to be Introduced Wednesday, February 26, 2025

·          SB 599: Creating Sound Science in Regulations Act (Rucker, Woodrum, Phillips, Morris, Charnock; Government Organization)

·          SB 600: Creating Securing Worker Privacy and Right to Know Act (Martin; Workforce)

·          SB 601: Relating to fees and charges for municipality-provided fire services (Deeds; Government Organization)

·          SB 602: Relating to Closed Captioning Act (Deeds; Government Organization then Judiciary)

·          SB 603: Exempting WV campus police officer retirement income from personal income tax after specified date (Oliverio, Deeds, Fuller, Garcia, Woelfel; Pensions then Finance)

·          SB 604: Requiring Department of Human Services to notify PSC that person is eligible for discount on utility bills (Stuart; Judiciary then Finance)

·          SB 605: Requiring certain public or private entities that own, lease, or oversee water or electric supply utility to implement utility continuity rate credit program (Stuart; Judiciary then Finance)

·          SB 606: Relating to notification of breast density (Grady; Health and Human Resources then Judiciary)

·          SB 607: Expiring funds to unappropriated surplus balance in State Fund from Economic Development Fund (Barrett; Finance)

·          SB 608: Removing rape and incest exception to obtain abortion in WV (Rucker; Health and Human Resources then Judiciary)

·          SB 609: Relating to trespassing on premises of higher education institution (Taylor; Judiciary)

·          SB 610: Abolishing tax on overtime pay (FN) (Maynard; Workforce then Finance)

·          SB 611: Excluding workers of ski area operators from maximum hour requirements (Morris, Roberts; Workforce)

·          SB 612: Making rules and regulations of PSC subject to legislative rule-making review procedures (Stuart; Judiciary)

·          SB 613: Increasing cap on audits of municipalities (Smith; Government Organization)

·          SCR 12: US Army Staff Sergeant Barney Warren Frazier Memorial Bridge (Phillips)

·          SCR 13: Purple Heart Trail (Phillips)

·          SCR 14: Requesting Joint Committee on Government and Finance study substance use disorder in WV (Helton)

·          SR 15: Designating February 27, 2025, Sexual Violence Awareness Day (Stuart)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Tuesday, February 25, 2025

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization

  • Com. Sub. for SB 482: Certified Professional Midwife Licensing and Regulation
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass
  • SB 496: Removing reflexology and other energy-based work from definition of “massage therapy”
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass
  • Com. Sub. for SB 586: Relating to requirements for filling vacancies in certain elected federal, state, and county offices
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Judiciary
  • SB 483: Increasing civil penalties for failure to file required campaign finance reports
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

9:30 a.m.: Education

  • Com. Sub. for SB 450: Establishing WV Guardian Program
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance
  • Com. Sub. for SB 434: Requiring each public school building be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in school security emergency
  • Committee substitute, as amended reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

1 p.m.: Economic Development

  • Com. Sub. for SB 552: Relating to Certified Business Industrial Expansion Development Program
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources

  • Com. Sub. for SB 30: Requiring medically necessary care and treatment to address congenital anomalies associated with cleft lip and cleft palate
  • Bill not taken up
  • Com. Sub. for SB 169: Correlating Medicaid personal needs allowance with state poverty index
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance
  • SB 537: Establishing WV Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

3 p.m.: Judiciary

  • Com. Sub. for SB 198: Prohibiting creation, production, distribution, or possession of artificially generated child pornography
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass
  • SB 124: Reducing statute of limitations on actions to recover on oral and written contracts
  • Bill, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass
  • Com. Sub. for SB 31: Relating to DNA maintained for law-enforcement purposes
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance
  • Com. Sub. for SB 456: Defining “men” and “women”
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

Bills that Have Passed the Senate as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (14 – 12 Senate; 2 House)

 

  • SB 8: Providing additional sites and devices for newborn safe surrender (House Judiciary)
  • SB 136: Increasing penalties and parole eligibility requirements for homicide (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer (House Judiciary)
  • SB 139: Relating to filling of vacancies in Legislature (House Judiciary)
  • SB 151: Creating crime of assault on police dogs and other public safety animals (House Judiciary)
  • SB 240: Updating crime of sexual extortion (House Judiciary)
  • SB 269: Modifying requirements for public water systems or businesses having backflow preventers (House Energy and Public Works)
  • SB 275: Removing requirement school cooks or custodians have high school diploma or equivalent (House Education)
  • SB 282: Modifying provisions for employment of retired teachers as substitutes in areas of critical need and shortage (House Education)
  • SB 283: Expanding grade levels of personal finance course requirements needed for graduation (House Education)
  • SB 336: Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rules (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 460: Relating to vaccine requirements (House Health and Human Resources)
  • HB 2024: Updating the meaning certain terms used in West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)
  • HB 2025: Updating terms in the Corporation Net Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)

Resolutions that Have Been Adopted by the Senate as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (3)

  • SCR 1: Adopting Joint Rules of Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 01-08)
  • SCR 2: Authorizing payment of joint expenses (Adopted, 01-08)
  • SCR 4: Amending Joint Rules of Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 02-12)

Action on House Bills in the Senate as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (6)

 

  • HB 2024: Updating the meaning certain terms used in West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)
  • HB 2025: Updating terms in the Corporation Net Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)
  • HB 2042: Relating to allowing a guardian ad litem to request the appointment of a court appointed special advocate (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2053: Relating to including the United States Space Force in the definition armed forces (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2066: Creating a crime for the destruction of first responder equipment (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2363: Clarifying the groups of persons to whom the criminal prohibitions related to child pornography are inapplicable when such persons are performing their official or employment duties (Pending Senate introduction)

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (1)

  • HCR 49: Resolution relating to use of industrial sites and the potential impacts on downstream facilities (Natural Resources)

Bills that Have Completed Legislation as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (2 – 2 House)

  • HB 2024: Updating the meaning certain terms used in West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)
  • HB 2025: Updating terms in the Corporation Net Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)

Resolutions that Have Completed Legislation as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (7 – 3 Senate; 4 House)

  • SCR 1: Adopting Joint Rules of Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 01-08)
  • SCR 2: Authorizing payment of joint expenses (Adopted, 01-08)
  • SCR 4: Amending Joint Rules of Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 02-12)
  • HCR 1: Raising a Joint Assembly to open and publish election returns (Adopted, 01-08)
  • HCR 2: Extending an invitation to His Excellency, the Governor, to deliver an address to the Legislature and raising a Joint Assembly therefor (Adopted, 01-08)
  • HCR 3: Providing for an adjournment of the Legislature until February 12, 2025 (Adopted, 01-08)
  • HCR 4: Raising a Joint Assembly to hear remarks of the Governor (Adopted, 01-12)

Bills Signed by the Governor as of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (2 – 2 House)

  • HB 2024: Updating the meaning certain terms used in West Virginia Personal Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)
  • HB 2025: Updating terms in the Corporation Net Income Tax Act (Signed, 02-24)

Committee times and agendas are subject to change. Follow @WVSenClerk on X for updates.

All Senate Committee meetings and floor sessions are available for both live streaming and to watch again in our archives. The link to the Senate’s archived video page can be found here: http://sg001-armony.sliq.net/00289/Harmony/en/View/UpcomingEvents.

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