Day Eight: The first Senate bill goes to a floor vote
The West Virginia Weakly Legislative Daybook for February 19, 2025
Today is Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the 8th day of the West Virginia Legislature’s regular session.
It’s Concord University Day at the Capitol. Also, the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia will be in the upper and lower rotunda.
Highlights (all times and agendas subject to change)
9:00 a.m. — Budget hearings continue in the Revenue Subcommittee. Today, the Parkways Authority will be giving a presentation to the panel.
Immediately following that meeting, the House Finance Committee will tackle a number of rules bundles dealing with the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration, the Lottery Commission, the Insurance Commission and the Tax Department.
9:30 a.m. — House Judiciary’s Legal Services Subcommittee will hold a hearing on HB 2400 which would prohibit the delivery of unsolicited absentee ballot applications to any person who has not specifically requested one from the county clerk. This bill is making an encore. It was opposed last year by voting advocates, including the League of Women Voters of West Virginia.
11:00 a.m. — The first bill to go up for passage in the Senate this session arrives this morning. SB 460 would rollback vaccine mandates for school children. A number of amendments to the measure — to preserve vaccine mandates in various ways — failed on the floor yesterday.
1:00 p.m. — The House Educational Choice Subcommittee will hear presentations from Sen. Rollan Roberts (R-Raleigh, who is also the administrator of Victory Baptist Academy in Beaver) and Michael Donnelly (a homeschool parent and a former attorney with the Home School Legal Defense Association). The panel will also hear from State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt and Higher Education Policy Commission chancellor Sarah Tucker.
3:00 p.m. — The Senate Finance Committee will receive budget presentations from the Public Service Commission, the Consumer Advocate Division and the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
The House and Senate will gavel in for their floor sessions at their standard 11 a.m. start time
Senate Floor Calendar Senate Committee Schedule
House Floor Calendar House Committee Schedule
Weakly whatnot: News and opinion from around West Virginia
Authorities recover second missing person in McDowell County flood ~ Chris Lawrence, WVMetroNews
A rough week for West Virginians ~ Editorial, Charleston Gazette-Mail
WV Senate to vote on passage of bill loosening school vaccine mandates ~ Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
WV Senate bill would ban hormone treatment for minors with gender dysphoria at risk of suicide ~ Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
Subcommittee bills tackle religious, political roadblocks to fostering West Virginia children ~ Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
W.Va. school superintendents craft bill for greater homeschool accountability ~ Derek Redd, The Intelligencer