Thursday, March 6, 2025 – 23rd Day of Session

 

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

  • SCR 16: US Army SPC Johnny Long Memorial Bridge
  • SCR 17: US Marine Corps PVT Arlie Haught Memorial Bridge

 

THIRD READING

 

  • Eng. Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for SB 154: Prohibiting sexual orientation instruction in public schools
  • Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 299: Modifying WV regulations on pubertal modulation, hormonal therapy, and gender reassignment
  • Eng. SB 483: Increasing civil penalties for failure to file required campaign finance reports

 

SECOND 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 552: Relating to Certified Business Expansion Development Program
  • 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

 

FIRST READING

 

  • Com. Sub. for SB 121: Updating language and increasing penalties for indecent exposure
  • Com. Sub. for SB 155: Establishing Summer Feeding for All Program
  • Com. Sub. for SB 196: Increasing penalties for drug possession and updating list of offenses (original similar to HB 2613)
  • Com. Sub. for SB 199: Relating to elementary behavior intervention and safety
  • Com. Sub. for SB 325: Department of Health rule relating to general provisions of Medical Cannabis Program (original similar to HB 2245)
  • Com. Sub. for SB 458: Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 (original similar to HB 2001)
  • Com. Sub. for SB 485: Exempting West Virginia Secretary of State from competitive bidding process
  • SB 492: Removing outdated provisions governing political committees
  • Com. Sub. for SB 522: Clarifying procedure for administrative dissolution of limited liability companies by Secretary of State
  • Com. Sub. for SB 525: Clarifying procedure for administrative dissolution of nonprofit corporations by Secretary of State
  • Com. Sub. for SB 565: Relating generally to practice of optometry (original similar to HB 2975)
  • SB 612: Making rules and regulations of PSC subject to legislative rule-making review procedures
  • Com. Sub. for SB 627: Removing prohibition against leasing state-owned pore spaces underlying lands designated as state parks

Scheduled Committee Meetings

 

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization (208W)

  • Com. Sub. for SB 500: Transferring audits of volunteer fire departments to Legislative Auditor
  • Com. Sub. for SB 20: Requiring funding for increased costs to volunteer fire departments and EMS units
  • SB 526: Creating the Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Act
  • SB 577: Clarifying prohibited practices by manufacturer, factory branch, distributor, or distributor branch when providing new motor vehicle to dealer

9:30 a.m.: Education (451M)

  • SB 280: Displaying official US motto in public schools
  • SB 559: Requiring legal actions concerning WVSSAC to be filed in Wood or Kanawha County
  • SB 646: Extending non-traditional instruction days for WV teachers from five to 10
  • SB 650: Relating to full-time interventionists
  • SB 652: Expanding cardiac arrest provisions to be applicable to elementary schools

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources (451M)

  • SB 606: Relating to notification of breast density
  • SB 710: Relating to the practice of teledentistry

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

  • Com. Sub. for SB 474: Ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs
  • Com. Sub. for SB 264: Allowing death penalty for intentionally killing law-enforcement officer or first responder in line of duty

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

  • SB 532: Making ad valorum taxes on property payable only to county in which property is located
  • Budget Presentation: West Virginia Office of the Inspector General
  • SB 649: Supplementing and amending appropriations to Department of Health, Office of Inspector General

 

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

 

Senate Bills to be Introduced Thursday, March 6, 2025

  • SB 711: Removing prohibition against establishing additional trail systems within state parks and state forests (Maynard; Transportation and Infrastructure then Natural Resources)
  • SB 712: Relating to retirement provisions of systems managed by CPRB (Oliverio; Pensions then Finance)
  • SB 713: Creating WV Workplace Security Act (FN) (Charnock; Judiciary then Finance)
  • SB 714: Creating Voluntary Portable Benefit Account Act (Rucker; Banking and Insurance)
  • SB 715: Relating to personally identifiable information of member, retirant, beneficiary, or alternate payee of retirement system (Oliverio; Pensions then Finance)
  • SB 716: Relating to failure to pay required contributions and interest payments for certain retirees who transfer between retirement systems (Oliverio; Pensions then Finance)
  • SB 717: Prohibiting surprise billing of ground emergency medical services by nonparticipating providers (Helton; Banking and Insurance then Finance)
  • SB 718: Relating to hospital transparency (Rucker; Health and Human Resources)
  • SB 719: Relating to age at which minor can consent to certain medical decisions and services (Chapman; Health and Human Resources)
  • SB 720: Requiring declaration of pooled units be filed with drilling permits (Clements, Rose; Energy, Industry, and Mining then Finance)
  • SB 721: Providing penalties for damages resulting to farm property and critical infrastructure from use of drones (Hamilton; Natural Resources then Judiciary)
  • SB 722: Creating WV Short Line Railroad Modernization Act (Jeffries, Phillips, Bartlett, Clements, Deeds, Grady, Helton, Morris, Queen, Rose, Taylor, Thorne, Weld, Woodrum; Transportation and Infrastructure then Finance)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Wednesday, March 5, 2025

11:30 a.m.: Rules

  • Com. Sub. for SB 522: Relating to the Certified Business Industrial Expansion Development Program
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

 

1 p.m.: Select Committee on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health

  • Com. Sub. for SB 109: Neighborhood Assistance and Rejuvenation Compact Act
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

  • Com. Sub. for  SB 204: Making opioid treatment programs unlawful
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Health and Human Resources

  • SCR 14: Requesting Joint Committee on Government and Finance study substance use disorder in WV
  • Resolution reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it be adopted

2 p.m.: Agriculture

  • Com. Sub. for SB 10: Exempting certain meat processes from consumers sales and service tax
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

  • Com. Sub. for SB 241: Exempting high tunnels and greenhouses from personal property taxes
  • Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 242: Equipment Right to Repair Act
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Judiciary

  • SB 578: Relating to pet food packages
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

2 p.m.: Banking and Insurance

  • SB 501: Relating to loan forms
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • SB 561: Relating to Uniform Special Deposits Act
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

3 p.m.: Judiciary

  • Com. Sub. for SB 521: Requiring party affiliations be listed for all candidates
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • SB 257: Providing protection for property owner when someone visiting private cemetery causes damage to property
  • Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

  • Com. Sub. for SB 585: Relating to Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act
  • Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

Bills that Have Passed the Senate as of Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (42 – 39 Senate; 3 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 (H First Reading, 03-06)
  • 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 284: Relating to county board of education member orientation and compensation (Pending House introduction)
  • 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, 03-06)
  • 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 (House Judiciary)
  • SB 487: Removing ineligible voters from active voter rolls (Pending House introduction)
  • SB 488: Clarifying definition of electioneering (House Judiciary)
  • SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia (H Second Reading, 03-06)
  • 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)
  • SB 581: Relating to school attendance and student participation in 4-H activities (Pending House introduction)
  • 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 2354: Banning certain products from food in West Virginia (Passed Senate; pending House concurrence to Senate amendment)

Senate Resolutions that Have Been Adopted by the Senate as of Wednesday, March 5, 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 Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (23)

 

  • 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 2158: Relating to removal of a sunset clause for the West Virginia spay and neuter program (Pending Senate introduction)
  • 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 (Judiciary)
  • 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 (Passed Senate; pending House concurrence to Senate amendment)
  • HB 2360: Clarifying the victims of crimes against law-enforcement officers (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2362: Relating to recognizing the law-enforcement powers of correctional officers employed by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Government Organization)
  • 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 2434: Relating to establishing the Stop Squatters Act (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2437: Clarification of penalties for offenses involving Fentanyl (Pending Senate introduction)
  • HB 2511: Relating to charitable bingo and alcohol sales and consumption while such bingo is taking places (Pending Senate introduction)

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

 

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Wednesday, March 5, 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 Wednesday, March 5, 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 Wednesday, March 5, 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 Wednesday, March 5, 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: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00289/Harmony/en/View/UpcomingEvents.

Jacque Bland
Director of Communications | West Virginia Senate
1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Room M-223
Charleston, WV 25305-0800
(304) 357-7999 | (304) 590-4678 (cell)
[email protected]

Author: [email protected]