Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – 22nd Day of Session

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

  • SR 20: Designating March 5, 2025, as West Virginia University Day

 

THIRD READING

 

  • Eng. Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for SB 154: Prohibiting sexual orientation instruction in public schools
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 284: Relating to county board of education member orientation and compensation
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 487: Removing ineligible voters from active voter rolls
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 581: Relating to school attendance and student participation in 4-H activities – (With right to amend)
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for HB 2354: Banning certain products from food in West Virginia

 

SECOND READING

 

  • Com. Sub. for SB 299: Modifying WV regulations on pubertal modulation, hormonal therapy, and gender reassignment
  • SB 483: Increasing civil penalties for failure to file required campaign finance reports

 

FIRST READING

 

  • Com. Sub. for SB 22: Applying penalties for nonpayment of royalties under terms of oil and natural gas leases
  • Com. Sub. for SB 117: Exempting certain physicians from specified traffic laws when responding to emergencies
  • Com. Sub. for SB 267: Extending time for renewal and restoration of commercial driver’s licenses
  • Com. Sub. for SB 503: Allowing sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission
  • Com. Sub. for SB 573: Relating to restrictions on use or sale of motor vehicles based on power source
  • SB 611: Excluding workers of ski area operators from maximum hour requirements

Scheduled Committee Meetings

 

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

  • SB 109: Neighborhood Assistance and Rejuvenation Compact Act
  • SB 204: Making opioid treatment programs unlawful
  • SCR 14: Requesting Joint Committee on Government and Finance study substance use disorder in WV

2 p.m.: Agriculture (208W)

  • Com. Sub. for SB 10: Exempting certain meat processes from consumers sales and service tax
  • Com. Sub. for SB 241: Exempting high tunnels and greenhouses from personal property taxes
  • Com. Sub. for SB 242: Equipment Right to Repair Act
  • SB 578: Relating to pet food packages

2 p.m.: Banking and Insurance (451M)

  • Presentation: Jason Haught, Acting Director, Public Employees Insurance Agency
  • SB 501: Relating to loan forms
  • SB 561: Relating to Uniform Special Deposits Act

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

  • Com. Sub. for SB 521: Requiring party affiliations be listed for all candidates
  • SB 257: Providing protection for property owner when someone visiting private cemetery causes damage to property
  • Com. Sub. for SB 585: Relating to Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

  • Budget Presentation: Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System
  • Budget Presentation: Department of Health Facilities
  • Budget Presentation: West Virginia National Guard

 

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

 

Senate Bills to be Introduced Wednesday, March 5, 2025

  • SB 696: Establishing program for camera-assisted speed enforcement in active work zones on public highways (FN) (Clements; Transportation and Infrastructure then Finance)
  • SB 697: Creating Caregiver Tax Credit Act (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
  • SB 698: Relating to open captioning for motion pictures (Deeds, Fuller, Woodrum; Government Organization then Judiciary)
  • SB 699: Protecting environment and humans from geo-engineering experiments (Woodrum; Energy, Industry, and Mining then Judiciary)
  • SB 700: Relating to effects on regular levy rates when appraisal results in tax increase and public hearings (Woodrum; Finance)
  • SB 701: Classifying forestry equipment for levy purposes (Woodrum; Natural Resources then Finance)
  • SB 702: Relating to payment rates for child care services (FN) (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
  • SB 703: Allowing Supreme Court of Appeals discretion to create uniform pay scales for all levels of judicial support staff (Oliverio, Charnock, Garcia, Woelfel; Finance)
  • SB 704: Relating to reports of circuit court proceedings (Willis; Judiciary)
  • SB 705: Allowing Board of Education to promulgate rules for submission to Legislature (Willis; Judiciary)
  • SB 706: Bringing Department of Education under rule-making review of Legislature (Willis; Judiciary)
  • SB 707: Providing increase in salary to WV Birth-to-Three contracted therapists and employees (Helton; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
  • SB 708: Providing state mine inspectors with raise (Garcia; Energy, Industry, and Mining then Finance)
  • SB 709: Repealing provisions of code that exempt Department of Transportation, Tax Division, and Bureau of Social Services from Division of Personnel (Rucker; Government Organization then Finance)
  • SB 710: Relating to the practice of teledentistry (FN) (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
  • SCR 16: US Army SPC Johnny Long Memorial Bridge (Phillips, Stuart)
  • SCR 17: US Marine Corps PVT Arlie Haught Memorial (Garcia, Clements, Oliverio, Rose)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Tuesday, March 4, 2025

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization

  • Com. Sub. for SB 458: Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • SB 492: Removing outdated provisions governing political committees
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 522: Clarifying procedure for administrative dissolution of limited liability companies by Secretary of State
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 525: Clarifying procedure for administrative dissolution of nonprofit corporations by the Secretary of State
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 485: Exempting the West Virginia Secretary of State from competitive bidding process
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 564: Prohibiting voters not affiliated with major political party from voting ballot of political party in primary election
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Judiciary

9:30 a.m.: Education

  • Com. Sub. for SB 199: Relating to elementary behavior intervention and safety
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 155: Establishing Summer Feeding for All Program
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

  • Com. Sub. for SB 566: Providing certified law-enforcement officers tuition-free education up to highest tuition rate for public higher education in WV
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

1 p.m.: Economic Development

  • Com. Sub. for SB 208: Mountain Homes Act
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

  • Com. Sub. for SB 627: Removing prohibition against leasing state-owned pore spaces underlying lands designated as state parks
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources

  • Com. Sub. for SB 565: Relating generally to practice of optometry
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 86: Creating Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

  • Com. Sub. for SB 101: Imposing deadlines for autopsies and autopsy reports
  • Bill laid over to a future meeting

3 p.m.: Judiciary

  • Com. Sub. for SB 325: Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Office of Inspector General Rules Bundle – Includes SB 319, Department of Health rule relating to public water systems; SB 320, Department of Health rule relating to statewide trauma and emergency care system; SB 321, Department of Health rule relating to fatality and mortality review team; SB 322, Department of Health rule relating to vital statistics; SB 323, Department of Health rule relating to emergency medical services; SB 324, Department of Health rule relating to Primary Care Support Program; SB 325, Department of Health rule relating to general provisions of Medical Cannabis Program; SB 326, Department of Health rule relating to growers and processors of Medical Cannabis Program; SB 327, Department of Health rule relating to laboratories of Medical Cannabis Program; SB 328, Department of Health rule relating to dispensaries of Medical Cannabis Program; SB 329, Department of Health rule relating to Safe Harbor Letter for Medical Cannabis Program; SB 330, Department of Health rule relating to critical access hospitals; SB 331, Department of Human Services rule relating to Recovery Residence Certification and Accreditation Program; SB 332, Department of Human Services rule relating to pilot program for drug screening of applicants for cash assistance; SB 333, Office of Inspector General rule relating to hospital licensure; SB 334, Office of Inspector General rule relating to behavioral health centers licensure
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 521: Requiring party affiliations be listed for all candidates
  • Bill laid over to a future meeting

  • SB 612: Making rules and regulations of PSC subject to legislative rule-making review procedures
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 121: Updating language and increasing penalties for indecent exposure
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 196: Increasing penalties for drug possession and updating list of offenses
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

Bills that Have Passed the Senate as of Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (35 – 33 Senate; 2 House)

 

  • SB 5: Establishing Adopt-A-Road program (House Energy and Public Works)
  • SB 8: Providing additional sites and devices for newborn safe surrender (House Judiciary)
  • SB 29: Allowing physicians assistants to own practice (House Health and Human Resources)
  • SB 50: Requiring municipal elections to be held on same day as statewide elections (House Judiciary)
  • SB 92: Glucagon for Schools Act (House Education)
  • SB 103: Exempting certain records from public release (House Judiciary)
  • SB 124: Reducing statute of limitations on actions to recover on oral and written contracts (House Judiciary)
  • SB 136: Increasing penalties and parole eligibility requirements for homicide (House Judiciary)
  • 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 198: Prohibiting creation, production, distribution, or possession of artificially generated child pornography (House Judiciary)
  • SB 234: Increasing value at which municipal property must be sold through public auction (House Government Organization)
  • 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 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency (House Judiciary)
  • 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 291: Extending time frame for pharmacies to register from annually to biennially (House Government Organization)
  • SB 336: Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rules (House Judiciary)
  • SB 358: Authorizing Department of Transportation to promulgate legislative rules (House Energy and Public Works)
  • SB 369: Authorizing miscellaneous boards and agencies to promulgate legislative rules (House Government Organization)
  • SB 427: Permitting certain teenagers to work without obtaining work permit (House Government Organization)
  • SB 443: Authorizing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board of Examiners to conduct criminal background checks for licensing (House Government Organization)
  • SB 456: Defining “men” and “women” (H Second Reading, 03-05)
  • SB 459: Requiring county planning commission members be state residents (House Government Organization)
  • SB 460: Relating to vaccine requirements (House Health and Human Resources)
  • SB 462: Permitting Board of Occupational Therapy to require criminal history record checks (House Government Organization)
  • SB 482: Certified Professional Midwife Licensing and Regulation (House Government Organization)
  • SB 486: Clarifying eligibility requirements to vote in WV elections (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 488: Clarifying definition of electioneering (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 496: Removing reflexology and other energy-based work from definition of “massage therapy” (House Government Organization)
  • SB 534: Clarifying qualifications to be licensed to administer polygraphs (House Government Organization)
  • SB 537: Establishing WV Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program (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)

Senate Resolutions that Have Been Adopted by the Senate as of Tuesday, March 4, 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, March 4, 2025 (18)

 

  • 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 (Judiciary)
  • HB 2047: Prohibiting cameras and recording devices in bedrooms and bathrooms of foster children (Health and Human Resources)
  • HB 2053: Relating to including the United States Space Force in the definition armed forces (Military then Finance)
  • HB 2065: To allow Gold Star parents to receive one free Gold Star vehicle registration for personal use (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2066: Creating a crime for the destruction of first responder equipment (Judiciary)
  • HB 2123: Modifying the criminal penalties imposed on a parent, guardian or custodian for child abuse (Judiciary)
  • HB 2157: Provide one trip temporary vehicle permits to be purchased and printed online (Transportation and Infrastructure)
  • HB 2170: Allowing volunteer fire departments to use fire protection funding for certain purchases (Government Organization)
  • HB 2217: Relating to penalties for conspiracy to commit murder (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2222: Relating to authorizing the Department of Administration to promulgate a legislative rule relating to retention and disposal scheduling (Judiciary)
  • HB 2331: Relating to authorizing the Office Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training to promulgate a legislative rule relating to the certification, recertification, and training of EMT-Miners and the certification of EMT-M instructors (Judiciary)
  • HB 2344: Relating generally to traffic safety (Transportation and Infrastructure)
  • HB 2354: Banning certain products from food in West Virginia (S Third Reading, 03-05)
  • HB 2362: Relating to recognizing the law-enforcement powers of correctional officers employed by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (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 (Judiciary)

·       HB 2515: Relating to elementary behavior intervention and safety (Education)

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (1)

  • HCR 49: Resolution relating to use of industrial sites and the potential impacts on downstream facilities (Adopted, 03-03)

Bills that Have Completed Legislation as of Tuesday, March 4, 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, March 4, 2025 (8 – 3 Senate; 5 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)
  • HCR 49: Resolution relating to use of industrial sites and the potential impacts on downstream facilities (Adopted, 03-03)

Bills Signed by the Governor as of Tuesday, March 4, 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.

Author: [email protected]