State Senate

Monday, March 3, 2025 – 20th Day of Session

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• SCR 15: Opposing China's use of UN Resolution 2758 against Taiwan
• SR 18: Designating March 3, 2025, as Future Farmers Day
• HCR 49: Resolution relating to use of industrial sites and the potential impacts on downstream facilities

THIRD READING

• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 29: Allowing physicians assistants to own practice
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 50: Requiring municipal elections to be held on same day as statewide elections (original similar to HB 2422)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 124: Reducing statute of limitations on actions to recover on oral and written contracts (original similar to HB 3033)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 198: Prohibiting creation, production, distribution, or possession of artificially generated child pornography
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 456: Defining "men" and "women" (original similar to HB 2006)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 482: Certified Professional Midwife Licensing and Regulation
• Eng. SB 496: Removing reflexology and other energy-based work from definition of "massage therapy"
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 534: Clarifying qualifications to be licensed to administer polygraphs
• Eng. SB 537: Establishing WV Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program

SECOND READING

• SB 483: Increasing civil penalties for failure to file required campaign finance reports
• Com. Sub. for SB 486: Clarifying eligibility requirements to vote in WV elections
• Com. Sub. for SB 488: Clarifying definition of electioneering
• SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia (original similar to HB 2408, HB 2683, SB 133, SB 226)

FIRST READING

• Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for SB 154: Prohibiting sexual orientation instruction in public schools
• Com. Sub. for SB 284: Relating to county board of education member orientation and compensation
• Com. Sub. for SB 484: Relating to disclosures and penalties associated with use of synthetic media and artificial intelligence
• Com. Sub. for SB 487: Removing ineligible voters from active voter rolls
• Com. Sub. for SB 489: Relating to election law violation complaints and procedures
• Com. Sub. for SB 545: Banning certain products from food in WV
• Com. Sub. for SB 581: Relating to school attendance and student participation in 4-H activities

Scheduled Committee Meetings

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

• Com. Sub. For SB 458: Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025

1 p.m.: Workforce (208W)

• SB 263: Relating to use of criminal records as disqualification from authorization to practice particular profession
• SB 587: Relating generally to government contracting
• SB 611: Excluding workers of ski area operators from maximum hour requirements

1 p.m.: Transportation and Infrastructure (451M)

• Com. Sub. for SB 67: Allowing motor vehicle racing on county and municipal roads under certain circumstances
• Com. Sub. for SB 117: Exempting certain physicians from specified traffic laws when responding to emergencies
• Com. Sub. for SB 267: Providing for inactive status for CDL holders when not driving commercially
• Com. Sub. for SB 573: Relating to restrictions on use or sale of motor vehicles based on power source

2 p.m.: Energy, Industry and Mining (208W)

• Com. Sub. for SB 22: Applying penalties for nonpayment of royalties under terms of oil and natural gas leases
• Presentation: Randall Short, Director of Regulatory Services, Appalachian Power

2 p.m.: Pensions (451M)

• Com. Sub. for SB 35: Permitting campus police officers to participate in Deputy Sheriffs Retirement System
• SB 76: Increasing WV Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System accrued benefit for certain members

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

• SB 121: Updating language and increasing penalties for indecent exposure
• SB 589: Providing pay increases to members of judiciary
• SB 622: Authorizing compensation for certain lower court staff
• SB 147: Establishing aggravated felony offense of reckless driving resulting in death
• SB 503: Allowing sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission

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

Senate Bills to be Introduced Monday, March 3, 2025

• SB 639: Creating WV Small Business Appreciation and Acknowledgement Act (FN) (Willis; Economic Development then Finance)
• SB 640: Relating to number of children who may be in family child care home (FN) (Willis; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 641: Updating time frame for scheduling of hearing on petition for eviction (Willis; Judiciary)
• SB 642: Relating to vacancies in office of magistrate (Willis; Judiciary)
• SB 643: Restoring voting rights for person incarcerated for felony upon release (Garcia; Judiciary)
• SB 644: Reinstating prevailing wage (Garcia; Workforce then Judiciary)
• SB 645: Requiring petition of qualified voters for defeated amendment to be reconsidered regarding city charters (Weld; Judiciary)
• SB 646: Extending non-traditional instruction days for WV teachers from five to 10 (Fuller, Rose; Education then Finance)
• SB 647: Authorizing higher education institutions to enter into agreements relating to student-athlete's name, image, or likeness (Grady; Education)
• SB 648: Requiring courts to interpret statutes and regulations (Chapman; Government Organization then Judiciary)
• SB 649: Supplementing and amending appropriations to Department of Health, Office of Inspector General (Barrett; Finance)
• SB 650: Relating to full-time interventionists (Grady; Education)
• SB 651: Creating WV Black Lung Program (FN) (Garcia; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 652: Expanding cardiac arrest provisions to be applicable to elementary schools (Grady; Education then Finance)
• SB 653: Relating generally to EMS retirement (Takubo, Azinger, Rose; Pensions then Finance)
• SB 654: Creating WV ALS Care Services Act (Takubo; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 655: Providing for immunity for mental health providers who are involved in mental hygiene checks (Takubo; Judiciary)
• SB 656: Relating to impeding, threatening, or harassing first responders (Oliverio, Deeds, Fuller, Hamilton, Morris; Judiciary)
• SB 657: Exempting WV campus police officer retirement income from personal income tax (Oliverio, Fuller, Garcia, Woelfel; Pensions then Finance)
• SB 658: Prohibiting certain persons from receiving compensation for advising or assisting with veterans' benefits (Oliverio; Military)
• SB 659: Creating Parents' Bill of Rights (Willis; Judiciary)
• SB 660: Removing restrictions for supervising physicians for nurse practitioners or physician assistants in WV (Willis; Health and Human Resources)
• SB 661: Revising reimbursement and transportation process for post-mental health involuntary commitment (Willis; Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health then Finance)
• SJR 13: Constitutional Officer Term Limit Amendment (Bartlett, Azinger; Judiciary then Finance)
• SR 19: Designating March 4, 2025, as Marshall University Day (Fuller)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Bills that Have Passed the Senate as of Friday, February 28, 2025 (26 – 24 Senate; 2 House)

• SB 5: Establishing Adopt-A-Road program (Pending House introduction)
• SB 8: Providing additional sites and devices for newborn safe surrender (House Judiciary)
• SB 92: Glucagon for Schools Act (House Education)
• SB 103: Exempting certain records from public release (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 234: Increasing value at which municipal property must be sold through public auction (Pending House introduction)
• 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 (Pending House introduction)
• SB 427: Permitting certain teenagers to work without obtaining work permit (Pending House introduction)
• SB 443: Authorizing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board of Examiners to conduct criminal background checks for licensing (House Government Organization)
• SB 459: Requiring county planning commission members be state residents (Pending House introduction)
• 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)

• 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 Friday, February 28, 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 Friday, February 28, 2025 (13)

• 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 (Pending Senate introduction)
• HB 2170: Allowing volunteer fire departments to use fire protection funding for certain purchases (Pending Senate introduction)
• HB 2344: Relating generally to traffic safety (Pending Senate introduction)
• HB 2354: Banning certain products from food in West Virginia (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)

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Friday, February 28, 2025 (1)

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

Bills that Have Completed Legislation as of Friday, February 28, 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 Friday, February 28, 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 Friday, February 28, 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.