Day 52: The PEIA bill is moving amid union opposition
And the House-passed bill banning gender-affirming care for minors is advancing in the Senate as well
Good morning and welcome back to 60 Days.
Today is Friday, March 3rd, 2023 — the 52nd day of the West Virginia Legislature’s regular session.
This morning’s briefing is coming to you from Martinsburg, where your host’s cat napped away Thursday afternoon in a laundry basket full of clean clothes after making a traumatic journey to the vet’s office.
She had to be rounded up and stuffed — butt first — into a carrier against her will, and when we got to the vet’s place, she had to put up with a bunch of curious dogs in the waiting room and then finally stuck with needles as the vet updated her shots.
She’s probably still mad.
And I probably ought to redo the laundry, but I’d rather have a cup of coffee. After all, this newsletter doesn’t write itself and FINAL NIGHT is only eight days away!
We’re at the stage of the legislative session when you might get a case of déjà vu. That’s because many of the bills are that are turning up on committee and floor agendas have already passed one legislative chamber — a function of “Crossover Day.”
Aside from supplemental appropriations bills, salary bills and the budget, the House can no longer send bills across the rotunda for Senate consideration and vice versa — meaning we’re increasingly going to be revisiting proposals we saw earlier in the session.
For example, there’s the House-passed bill being closely watched by the LGBTQ+ community. H.B. 2007 would deny gender-affirming care to those under 18 years old, including hormone therapy and puberty blocking medications. As we noted yesterday, it was the subject of an emotional public hearing in the House chamber before Delegates passed it.
The bill passed the House weeks ago and was taken up Thursday in the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee, where Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo (R-Kanawha) notably bucked his party and voted against advancing it.
Takubo is a doctor who made the case that the bill is “a dramatic overreach.” He said, the Legislature would be “stepping into a field of medicine where it is proven — whether you agree or disagree with it — that a patient does better; their mental health, their ability to function, their suffering is made less by a therapy.”
Here’s a complete story on the committee debate from Steven Allen Adams, the state government reporter for Ogden Newspapers. It’s also a top story over at the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
Gender-affirming care ban approved by West Virginia Senate Health Committee | wvnews.com
"That’s not only uneducated, that's cruel": Bill restricting gender-confirmation care sparks concern in Senate committee | wvgazettemail.com
The committee overwhelmingly voted to advance the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Bill Hamilton (R-Upshur) and Sen. Robert Plymale (D -Wayne) joined Takubo in voting against moving the bill forward.
On the House side of the Capitol, unions are lining up against the bill that addresses the financially troubled Public Employees Insurance Agency. WVMetroNews is reporting that union leaders are planning to hold a press conference this morning to address their concerns with S.B. 268.
The House Finance Committee advanced the PEIA bill Thursday afternoon, along with a $2,300 across the board pay raise bill for State Troopers and teachers.
Supporters say the premium increases in the bill, as much as 26%, would be offset by the pay raises and the tax cut package that are moving through the Legislature. But teacher union leaders say they want a long-term solution and remain concerned about how the pay raises will offset the premium increases now and in the future.
The PEIA bill is already on the House Floor. It had its first reading during Thursday’s evening session and will be on second reading, the amendment stage, today.
Both the House and Senate will convene their floor sessions at 11 a.m. The House agenda is here and the Senate’s is here.
The House committee schedule looks like this:
9 a.m. – the Committee on the Judiciary will meet in the committee meeting room, 410M
9 a.m. – the Education Committee will meet in the committee meeting room, 432M
9:30 a.m. – the Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet in the East Wing Committee Room, 215E
10:45 a.m. – the Committee on Rules will meet behind the Chamber
1 p.m. – the Government Organization Committee will meet in the East Wing Committee Room, 215E
3 p.m. – the Committee on Finance will meet in the committee meeting room, 460M
The Senate committee schedule:
9 a.m.: Economic Development (451M)
10 a.m.: Workforce (208W)
10 a.m.: Transportation and Infrastructure (451M)
10:50 a.m.: Committee on Rules (219M)
1 p.m.: Outdoor Recreation (208W)
1 p.m.: Pensions (451M)
2 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)
2 p.m.: Finance (451M)
60 Days legislative links:
Senate Majority Leader Takubo with possible conflict of interest in CON bill | Journal-news | journal-news.net
House passes child marriage ban | register-herald.com
Bill aimed at further special education classroom monitoring clears first Senate committee | WV MetroNews
WV House approves coalfield development office reboot bill that would 'educate the public' on asserted coal industry benefits | wvgazettemail.com
Senate Education Committee Addresses Bus Driver Shortage | wvpublic.org)
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