At the center of the West Virginia state Capitol is an area known as The Well. 

It is the informal gathering place for lobbyists, reporters, constituents and lawmakers.

Centrally situated between the chambers of the House of Delegates and Senate,

The Well is where information is often shared, alliances are formed, and deals are made.

 

86th West Virginia Legislature

State Capitol

January 18, 2024

 

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In This Edition

 

LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING: A House of Delegates Committee approved a legislative rule that establishes standards for basic training academies with medical admission guidelines and the job description of an entry-level office. 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The House of Delegates Committee on Jails and Prisons approved legislation that gives attention to protecting victims of domestic violence.

DNA EVIDENCE: The House Jails and Prisons Committee passed a bill that requires the SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination) Commission to propose rules for legislative approval regarding timeframes for submitting sexual-assault forensic examination kits.

INTERNET: A House Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 4423, which involves minors’ access to Internet content.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: The House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism passed an amendment to House Bill 4201, expanding the definition of electric vehicles.

FATALITY AND MORTALITY: The House Health and Human Resources Committee approved legislation that continues the West Virginia Fatality and Mortality Review Team.

OPIOID TREATMENT: A House of Delegates member said House Bill 4795 is an “agreed-to” bill that begins to acknowledge the need to enhance opioid treatment.

 

Law Enforcement / Criminal Justice

 

HB4063 

Authorizing the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction to promulgate a legislative rule relating to law enforcement training

and certification standards

 

The House of Delegates Committee on Jails and Prisons reviewed and approved a legislative rule on Thursday that establishes standards for basic training academies with medical admission guidelines and the job description of an entry-level officer. 

The rule also outlines annual in-service and biennial in-service training, continued certification, recertification, and decertification standards for law enforcement officers.

The Rulemaking Review Committee made only technical revisions to the bill. The House Committee on Jails and Prisons did not amend the bill. It reported it to the full House with the recommendation it passes after being first referenced to the Judiciary Committee.

 

HB4064 

Authorizing the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction to promulgate a legislative rule relating to protocol for law enforcement response

to domestic violence

 

The House of Delegates Committee on Jails and Prisons on Thursday approved House Bill 4064, which gives particular attention to protecting victims of domestic violence through enforcement of protective orders, initial response, arrest, on-scene assistance, reporting, and follow-up. It also clarifies the means by which law enforcement agencies can minimize departmental liability and provide training. 

The rule was not amended.

The Committee reported the bill to the full House with the recommendation to pass it after it is referenced to the Judiciary Committee.

 

HB4065  

Relates to the West Virginia sexual assault forensic examination commission (SAFE Commission)

 

The House Jails and Prisons Committee on Thursday passed House Bill 4065, which requires the SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination) Commission to propose rules for legislative approval regarding timeframes for submitting sexual-assault forensic examination kits to law enforcement, protocols for storing DNA samples and kits, and requiring hospitals to have trained providers to complete sexual-assault exams. 

The bill provides procedures for handling, storing, and testing sexual assault evidence to comply with the rules required by the SAFE Commission and Senate Bill 89, which requires hospitals to have trained providers available to conduct sexual assault exams. The Committee reported the bill to the full House with the recommendation it passes after being first referenced to the Judiciary Committee.

 

Technology / Internet

 

HB4423 

Protection of minors from harmful material on the Internet

 

The House Senior, Children, and Family Issues Committee on Thursday adopted a strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 4423, which Committee Counsel explained. 

The first section requires age verification for access to harmful minor content online and creates liability for companies that fail to verify age or distribute such content to minors. It provides civil remedies and exceptions.

The second section requires device manufacturers to automatically enable filters on their products beginning in 2025 to block minor access to inappropriate material. It establishes liability and penalties for noncompliant manufacturers.

The Attorney General can take enforcement action, and parents can sue manufacturers for damages.

The bill will go to the full Legislature with a recommendation that it passes, but it was referred to the Judiciary Committee for further review.

 

Energy

 

HB4201 

To provide for the creation of an EV Manufacturers Investment Credit

 

The House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism on Thursday heard and passed a proposed amendment to House Bill 4201, expanding the definition of electric vehicles to align with federal definitions and include hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 

The Committee referred the bill to the Committee on Finance.

 

Health Care

 

HB4874 

Revising authority of West Virginia Fatality and Mortality Review Team

 

The House Health and Human Resources Committee, meeting Thursday, approved legislation that continues the West Virginia Fatality and Mortality Review Team under the state’s statutory sunset law. 

The Committee also approved legislation allowing an academic center to provide opioid treatment services (House Bill 4795). See below.

Under terms of House Bill 4874, the state Fatality and Review Mortality Review Team’s role is modified to eliminate “review and assessment” caused by unintentional prescription or pharmaceutical drug overdoses and suspected domestic violence.

According to Committee Counsel, information regarding the former is through state data collection by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCEM). The latter is included in in a national database and is based on reports from state officials.

The statute is revised to state the deaths of “all infants and women who die during pregnancy, at the time of birth or within one year of the birth of a child and children under 17 years of age” (revised statutory language).

The Committee adopted an amendment to include a representative of the Minority Health Institute, located at Marshall University to include a representative of the Minority Health Institute at Marshall University as part of its membership but rejected an amendment that would authorize the Review Team to contact family member of the deceased.

Delegate Anitra Hamilton of Monongalia County sponsored the amendments.

Delegate Hamilton said the Minority Health Institute could provide valued information regarding issues having “cultural sensitivity” within the state’s minority communities – a point reiterated by Delegate Mike Pushkin of Kanawha County, who said the state’s minority community has “disproportionate” rates of infant deaths.

Vice Chairman Heather Tully of Nicholas County supported the amendment, saying its provisions enhance the bill.

The second amendment was defeated by voice vote.

In support of the amendment, Delegate Hamilton said, “What we don’t know is not a viable action.” She said such contacts could provide qualitative insight into infant mortalities, including lack of transportation to secure medical care.

Delegate Tully said the proposed amendment, if adopted, might “retraumatize” family members.

Committee Counsel said the proposed statutory language allows the Review Team by majority vote to contact family member or members if it determines “there is a clear public health interest” in making such contacts. Delegate Tully emphasized that point, saying the Committee would retain authority to centralize family contacts.

The bill revises statutory language to reflect changes that would be made to current law regarding Review Team duties.

The Review Team would work under the auspices of the state Health Officer rather than OCEM.

 

HB4795 

Permitting an academic medical center to operate an opioid treatment facility

 

Delegate Mike Pushkin of Kanawha County spoke on Thursday in favor of House Bill 4795, saying it was an “agreed-to” bill that begins to acknowledge the need to enhance opioid treatment. 

A member of the House Health and Human Resources Committee, he said the number of such facilities permitted under state law is set at nine, based on 2013 legislation, and the bill makes “baby steps” to extend treatment beyond the current facilities authorized to provide services.

He also mentioned many of the recipients who travel to the facilities must secure transportation through Medicaid.

Delegate Pushkin noted that any “expanded” options for opioid treatment would be under the auspices of “academic medical centers,” which could provide more holistic care in a “hospital-like” setting.

 

Looking Ahead

 

Key dates: 

20th Day: January 29, 2024 — Submission of Legislative Rule-Making Review bills due

35th Day: February 13, 2024 — Last day to introduce bills in the House. House Rule 91a does not apply to originating or supplementary appropriation bills, and does not apply to Senate or House resolutions or concurrent resolutions

41st Day: February 19, 2024 — Last day to introduce bills in the Senate. Senate Rule 14 does not apply to originating or supplementary appropriation bills and does not apply to Senate or House resolutions or concurrent resolutions

47th Day: February 25, 2024 — Bills due out of committees in house of origin to ensure three full days for readings

50th Day: February 28, 2024 — Last day to consider bill on third reading in house of origin; does not include budget or supplementary appropriation bills

60th Day: March 9, 2024 — Adjournment at midnight

 

Footnote for Readers

 

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Some information in this update is collected from the WV Legislature’s Daily/Weekly Blogs.

 

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