Day 43: Crossover Day is just one week away.
Get ready ...
Good morning and welcome back to 60 Days, your daily guide to the West Virginia Legislature.
Today is Wednesday, February 21, 2024 — Day 43 of the session — which means there’s just a little over two weeks left to go. (Everyone’s internal monologue gave a “HELL YES!” as they read that last sentence — regardless of their political point of view.) Politics and paying attention to it is hard work, so pat yourself on the back for making it this far and still being with us.
I know, I yammered on in yesterday’s edition that I possess some uncanny ability to connect the dots between seemingly random lobby days being lumped together and crack a good joke.
But this morning, it’s not so easy: It’s Special Education Day and History Day. The Activity Calendar also shows America’s 250th Commission will be on hand around the Capitol. As far as I can tell, the commission was set up by Congress a few years back to plan and execute celebrations of the nation’s semiquincentinneal (say that five times fast) in 2026.
Sorry to disappoint, there’s no punchline coming. Just be thankful the 60 Days editorial board is here to expand or reinforce your vocabulary — which is worth a coffee donation in and of itself:
Before we get too deep into what’s on tap for the day, a quick reminder that Crossover Day is looming.
Day 50, which is just a week away, is the last day for all bills to pass their chamber of origin and remain in play for the remainder of the session (this excludes spending proposals, such as the budget).
To put it more simply: House bills need to at least have passed the full House — and Senate bills need to have at least passed the full Senate by the end of the day next Wednesday. Otherwise, they’re “dead.”
I say “dead” in quote marks because there’s some maneuvering that can keep seemingly doomed legislation alive. I’m not going to bore you with the nuts and bolts, but let’s just say it can be a squishy deadline. If there’s a will to keep something alive, lawmakers will find a way.
Regardless, expect things to move at a pretty steady pace over the next week as bills move out of committee and onto the floors of the House and Senate.
Today’s Floor Agenda:
The bill to allow teachers to carry firearms at school as designated protection officers is up for a vote in the House this morning. Despite its place on third reading, lawmakers also have the right to offer amendments to HB 4299. Given the subject matter and allowing amendments on third reading, I would be on the lookout for some fireworks in the form of floor speeches on this one.
SB 602, which would call upon county boards of education to establish a cardiac emergency response plan, will be on the amendment stage on the House floor. The bill has moved quickly since passing the Senate Monday, with no House committees getting a crack at it before it hit the floor yesterday.
Take a look at what else is in store via the House’s daily floor session roadmap.
Over in the Senate, SB 688, would open up widespread timbering and economic development on public lands. The measure is up for passage with a right to amend — and a committee substitute drops state parks and rail trails, giving no ability for the state to contract with those entities. Advocacy groups like the West Virginia Environmental Council say the Division of Forestry already has the tools it needs to manage wildfires and the WVEC is asking lawmakers to adopt the committee substitute, despite what they see as wider concerns about the measure.
HB 4850, will be on first reading today in the upper chamber. The measure is on the Senate floor after House passage on Monday. The bill would remove the sunset clause on the oil and gas personal property tax.
The rest of the Senate Calendar is available for perusing, should you want to have a look.
Committee schedule:
Given that it’s Special Education Day, the House Education Committee meets at 2 p.m. to take a look at HB 4902, which would provide a raise for special education aides, as well as a raise for self-contained special education teachers.
Under SCR 30, the late World War II veteran Hershel “Woody” Williams could have a statue in the nation’s capital. A Medal of Honor recipient for his action in the Battle of Iwo Jima, Williams was armed with a flamethrower and managed to take out the enemy while having rifle cover from just four other U.S. troops. He died in 2022. When the Senate Finance Committee gets together at 3 p.m., they’ll decide whether to advance the proposal to place a statue of Williams in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington, D.C.
And here’s a look at the rest of committee action slated for today:
9:15 a.m. — House Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services Committee
10:00 a.m. — House Artificial Intelligence Committee
10:00 a.m. — Senate Government Organization Committee
10:30 a.m. — House Subcommittee on HB 4016
This bill is opposed by those who work to encourage voting. It would make it unlawful for anyone to deliver an absentee ballot, a public document, to any voter who has not specifically requested one from the county clerk.
10:45 a.m. — House Rules Committee
1:00 p.m. — House Finance Committee
1:00 p.m. — House Government Organization Committee
1:00 p.m. — Senate Committee on School Choice
1:00 p.m. — Senate Economic Development Committee
2:00 p.m. — Senate Outdoor Recreation Committee
2:00 p.m. — Senate Pensions Committee
2:30 p.m. — House Judiciary Committee
3 p.m. — Senate Judiciary Committee
60 Days links: Reading that’s good for you and good for West Virginia. Click on the links to help support the reporters who work at the state Capitol day in, day out.
The House Judiciary Committee has taken up a bill that would eliminate vaccine requirements and expanded it to cover even more children. As Brad McElhinny of WVMetroNews reports, the committee amended HB 5105 to include private school students, when the original bill exempted students in public virtual schools.
The House passed a bill that would drop work permit requirements for 14 and 15-year-olds. Opponents fear the move could lead to potential exploitation. The Charleston Gazette Mail’s Roger Adkins has more.
A bill headed to the Senate floor would allow student athletes to play for schools and travel teams at the same time. The Senate Education Committee advanced SB 813 on Tuesday. Amelia Ferrell Knisely has that story for West Virginia Watch.
Resources:
Know of any bills we should be keeping tabs on? Any events, press conferences, etc., we should know about? Tell us about them in the comments.
Can you help me figure out a way to renew my pledge? Been meaning to do it for a while. When I click on the "Subscribed" button, I don't see a way to donate. Maybe others are having trouble figuring it out, too.