State Senate

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 – 36th Day of Session

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• Com. Sub. for SCR 3: US Army Warrant Officer Joseph Rose III Memorial Bridge
• SR 35: Recognizing WV Mothers and Babies Support Program for its outstanding achievements
• SR 36: Recognizing 100th anniversary of WV State Fair

THIRD READING

• Eng. Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for SB 37: Allowing certain Teachers Retirement System members to exchange unused leave for monetary compensation
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 83: Allowing Foster Care Ombudsman access to child protective records
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 538: Allowing certain entities to purchase qualifying tax-delinquent properties before they are offered at public auction (original similar to HB 3332)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 547: Creating Charter Schools Startup Fund
• Eng. SB 598: Permitting judges to refer parents to prosecuting attorney for making certain false allegations in child custody proceedings
• Eng. SB 621: Authorizing digital court records (original similar to HB 3271)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for SB 719: Relating to age at which minor can consent to certain medical decisions and services

SECOND READING

• Com. Sub. for SB 450: Establishing WV Guardian Program
• Com. Sub. for SB 731: Terminating Design Build Board
• SB 734: Repealing section creating A. James Manchin Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan
• Com. Sub. for SB 736: Relating to publication of registered lobbyist information
• SB 738: Terminating Employee Suggestion Award Board

FIRST READING

• SB 75: Changing distribution of income from excess lottery fund
• Com. Sub. for SB 76: Increasing WV Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System accrued benefit for certain members
• Com. Sub. for SB 601: Relating to fees and charges for municipality-provided fire services
• SB 615: Eliminating accelerated tax payment requirements (original similar to HB 2012)
• Com. Sub. for SB 683: Relating to land sales by Auditor
• Com. Sub. for SB 710: Relating to the practice of teledentistry (original similar to HB 3196)
• SB 733: Relating to membership composition of Legislative Oversight Commission on Department of Transportation Accountability
• Com. Sub. for SB 746: Allowing State Board of Education to delegate its Medicaid provider status to public charter schools
• Eng. Com. Sub. for HB 2129: Creating the Parents Bill of Rights - (Com. amend. pending)
• Eng. Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for HB 2441: To make those who fail drug test ineligible for unemployment

Scheduled Committee Meetings

9:30 a.m.: Select Committee on Substance Abuse Prevention and Mental Health (451M)

• SB 761: Creating Joel Archer Substance Abuse Intervention Act
• HB 2437: Clarification of penalties for offenses involving Fentanyl

1 p.m.: Natural Resources (208W)

• Com. Sub. for SB 721: Providing penalties for damages resulting to farm property and critical infrastructure from use of drones

2 p.m.: Agriculture (208W)

• SB 751: Prohibiting manufacture, sale, or distribution of cultivated meat products.
• Eng. Com. Sub. for HB 2158: Relating to removal of a sunset clause for the West Virginia spay and neuter program

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

• Com. Sub. for SB 6: Exempting life insurance cash value from Medicaid eligibility calculations
• SB 776: Creating Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act
• Com. Sub. for SB 800: Relating to insurance holding company systems

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

• SJR 13: Constitutional Officer Term Limit Amendment
• SB 128: Preventing courts from ordering services at higher rate than Medicaid
• SB 595: Mountain Bike Responsibility Act
• SB 705: Allowing Board of Education to promulgate rules for submission to Legislature

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

• Com. Sub. for SB 10: Exempting certain meat processes from consumers sales and service tax
• Com. Sub. for SB 35: Permitting campus police officers to participate in Deputy Sheriff's Retirement System
• SB 292: Allowing doula services be covered by Medicaid and PEIA
• SB 249: Expanding employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP benefits

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

Senate Bills to be Introduced Wednesday, March 19, 2025

• SB 803: Relating to data centers (Phillips, Hart, Rose; Economic Development)
• SB 804: Relating to WV Secondary School Activities Commission Reform Act (Taylor, Smith, Azinger, Bartlett, Chapman, Charnock, Deeds, Fuller, Grady, Hart, Helton, Jeffries, Martin, Maynard, Morris, Roberts, Rose, Rucker, Stuart, Thorne, Weld, Willis; Education)
• SB 805: Relating to land use associations (Rucker, Deeds; Agriculture then Government Organization)
• SB 806: Reorganizing several provisions of bail statutes (Deeds, Azinger, Bartlett, Fuller, Hamilton, Thorne; Judiciary)
• SB 807: Exempting automobiles 25 years or older from personal property taxes (Oliverio, Azinger, Charnock, Garcia, Phillips; Transportation and Infrastructure then Finance)
• SB 808: Establishing Justice Reinvestment Task Force (Weld; Government Organization)
• SB 809: Modifying managed timberland certification requirements (Morris; Natural Resources)
• SB 810: Clarifying requirements for administration of anesthesia (Rucker; Government Organization)
• SB 811: Creating Child Care Subsidy Pilot Program (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 812: Establishing, defining, and creating criminal penalties for terrorist acts and groups (Willis; Judiciary)
• SB 813: Extending time frame for Department of Human Services to identify relatives and fictive kin (Chapman; Judiciary)
• SB 814: Allowing county commissions to establish fees for municipality-provided fire services (FN) (Martin; Government Organization then Finance)
• SB 815: Permitting access to funding for public water utilities subject to PSC's jurisdiction (FN) (Phillips; Finance)
• SB 816: Prohibiting sales of unauthorized vape products (Stuart; Health and Human Resources then Judiciary)
• SB 817: Regulating private alternative adolescent residential or outdoor programs (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Judiciary)
• SB 818: Power Generation and Consumption Act of 2025 [By Request of the Executive] (Smith, Woelfel; Economic Development then Finance)
• SB 819: Requiring heart health program in grades three through six (FN) (Rucker; Education then Finance)
• SB 820: Whistleblower Protection Fund Act (Helton; Government Organization then Finance)
• SR 37: Recognizing Energy Council on its 50th anniversary (Phillips, Barrett, Charnock, Hart, Queen, Rose, Stuart, Woodrum)
• SR 38: Designating March 20, 2025, as Mingo County Day (Maynard)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Tuesday, March 18, 2025

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization

• SB 747: Relating to Real Estate License Act
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• SB 743: Adjusting percentage of tax retained by clerk of county commission for certain purposes
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• Com. Sub. for SB 1: Requiring utility work and road paving coordination
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

9:30 a.m.: Education

• SB 531: Defining assault and battery on sports officials
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Judiciary

• Com. Sub. for SB 506: Relating to enhanced pay for teachers
• Committee substitute, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• Com. Sub. for SB 737: Creating WV Farm Equipment Repair Pilot Program
• Bill laid over to a future meeting

• SB 54: Requiring age-appropriate instruction on Holocaust in public schools
• Bill laid over to a future meeting

• SB 695: Requiring higher education institutions to accept Classic Learning Test
• Bill laid over to a future meeting

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources

• Com. Sub. for SB 221: Authorizing child or child care tax credit
• Bill not taken up

• Com. Sub. for SB 697: Creating Caregiver Tax Credit Act
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• Com. Sub. for SB 702: Relating to payment rates for child care services
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• SB 472: Requiring transparency from Department of Human Services
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Judiciary

3 p.m.: Judiciary

• SB 579: Relating to Home Rule Reform
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

• SB 128: Preventing courts from ordering services at higher rate than Medicaid
• Bill laid over to a future meeting

• Com. Sub. for HB 2331: Commerce Bundle – Includes SB 411, Rules Governing the Certification, Recertification and Training of EMT-Miners and the Certification of EMT-M Instructors; SB 412, Transporting and Selling Wildlife Parts and Pelts; SB 413, Boating Rule; SB 414, Special Boating Rule; SB 415, Public Use of Campgrounds in West Virginia State Parks, State Forests, and State Rail Trails under the Division of Natural Resources; SB 416, Special Projects and Grants for West Virginia State Parks, State Forests, and State Rail Trails under the Division of Natural Resources; SB 417, Prohibitions when Hunting and Trapping; SB 418, General Hunting; SB 419, Special Waterfowl Hunting; SB 420, Special Fishing Rule; SB 421, Catching and Selling Baitfish; SB 422, Falconry
• Bill, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

3 p.m.: Finance

• SB 100: Allowing members of State Police retirement system to use accrued leave as credit toward retirement
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

• SB 105: Updating retirement eligibility for certain sheriffs
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

• Com. Sub. for SB 578: Relating to pet food packages
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

Bills that Have Passed the Senate as of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 (87 – 81 Senate; 6 House)

Bills that Have Completed Legislation as of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 (13 – 9 Senate; 4 House)

• SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 240: Updating crime of sexual extortion (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 291: Extending time frame for pharmacies to register from annually to biennially (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 358: Authorizing Department of Transportation to promulgate legislative rules (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 443: Authorizing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board of Examiners to conduct criminal background checks for licensing (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 456: Defining "men" and "women" (Signed, 03-12)
• SB 462: Permitting Board of Occupational Therapy to require criminal history record checks (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 487: Removing ineligible voters from active voter rolls (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia (Signed, 03-18)
• 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 2053: Relating to including the United States Space Force in the definition armed forces (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)
• HB 2354: Banning certain products from food in West Virginia (Completed legislation; awaiting action by the Governor)

Resolutions that Have Completed Legislation as of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 (9 – 4 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)
• SCR 20: Recognizing and commending NCSL on its 50th anniversary (Adopted, 03-18)
• 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 18, 2025 (4 – 2 Senate; 2 House)

• SB 456: Defining "men" and "women" (Signed, 03-12)
• SB 490: Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia (Signed, 03-18)
• 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)

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.