LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP;332 BILLS SENT TO GOVERNOR

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W.Va. Legislature ends session with 332 bills sent to Gov. Justice 
WV Press News SharingCHARLESTON, W.Va. — The clock is ticking on many of the 332 bills approved by the West Virginia Legislature during the 60-session which ended Saturday at midnight. Numerous bills, see all bills below, were approved on the final night as the House of Delegates and State Senate reached compromises on language and policy. Among the bills on the clock: House Bill 2024, the Budget Bill, in which the House of Delegates and State Senate worked to create a compromise budget bill. The General Revenue Budget bill totals $4,874,575,878.Gov. Jim Justice has five days to consider the budget bill. The Legislative adopting a budget during the regular legislative session for the fifth year in a row, eliminating the need for an extended budget session, which had been a regular need. 
While the Gov. Justice has already signed 47 bills, he now has 15 days to decide on the others: In total, 203 House Bills and 129 Senate Bills were advanced by the legislature.When the Legislature was in session, the Governor had five days to approve or veto a bill. With the session adjourning at midnight Saturday, the governor now has 15 days to act on most bills. However, the budget bill and supplemental appropriations bills must be acted upon by the Governor within five days regardless of when they are received. If the governor does not act within these time limits, bills automatically become law without his signature.
Among other bills noted by the legislative staff: 
House Bill 3135 modifies the salaries of the Governor and Constitutional Officers beginning January 1, 2025. The House’s version set the salaries for the Governor at $180,000 and Constitutional Officers at $115,000. The Senate amended House Bill 3135 would set the sallies at the amount paid to certain federal employees pursuant to two different federal employee pay schedules beginning in 2025. The Governor would be paid the rate of Grade 15, Step 10 federal employee. The 2023 salary rate is $177,978. The Constitutional Officers would be paid the rate of Grade 15, Step 4 federal employees. The 2023 salary rate is $129,269. Both salaries are set under the Salary Table For Locality Pay Area of the Rest of the US as published by the US Office of Personnel Management. Salaries cannot change during official terms, therefore salaries will be reevaluated every four years.House Bill 3084 updates various provisions of charter school code. It makes charter schools eligible for School Safety Fund money. It allows a higher education institution to apply organize a charter school and enter into a charter school contract.House Bill 2967 provides for the expedited processing of professional or trade license applications for service members, veterans, and their spouses, when the applicant is licensed, in good standing, in another jurisdiction.Senate Bill 220 establishes the Industrial Hemp Development Act, covering the sale of kratom and other hemp-derived cannabinoids including delta-8 and delta-10. The bill limits the sale to those 21 years old and up. Unapproved products are considered contraband with criminal penalties for unlawful possession, distribution and sales.House Bill 3035 provides a statewide multi-tiered system of support and intervention of grade-level literacy and numeracy in grades K through 3. The Senate amended House Bill 3035 removes the provision for students to be at grade level in math by third grade. The amendment also removes the flexibility for counties to phase in the placement of assistant classroom teachers where needed. The amendment also removed the option to use paraprofessionals as teacher assistants.House Bill 2007, a bill that would ban gender surgery for minors, but allows treatment with medication under narrowly-tailored circumstances. This bill was passed yesterday. The House only made one change and added a title amendment.
House Bill 3261 amends the requirements for provisionally licensed social workers in West Virginia who are seeking to become fully licensed. The bill requires a provisionally licensed social worker must be employed for four of the last ten years as a supervised social worker to be considered for full licensing.House Bill 2008 requires local entities to enforce immigration laws. The legislation prohibits state and local entities from adopting laws, rules, or ordinances that would restrict compliance with federal immigration laws or immigration officials.Senate Bill 667 requires periodic performance audits by the legislative auditor of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission, the main governing body of high school sports, cheerleading, and marching bands in the state.Senate Bill 737 bill creates a special revenue account, the Emergency Medical Services Salary Enhancement Fund, to supplement the salaries of EMS workers across the state. The bill will provide a mechanism for distribution of the funds to the counties demonstrating the most need, counties who have a special levy, counties who have reached the maximum rate on a regular Levy and counties  and that suffer from competition from border states.Senate Bill 534 authorizes municipalities to establish private outdoor designated areas that are zoned for alcohol consumption in that area for alcohol drinks sold for by qualified permit holders, who are class A licensees.
Use this link to review legislation outlined in the chart below:
From the WV Legislative website listing:BillTitleStatusEffective DateSB 4Creating Adopt-A-Trail volunteer programs for public land under DNR jurisdictionApproved by Governor 2/17/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 8, 2023)SB 10Campus Self-Defense ActApproved by Governor 3/1/2023 – House JournalEffective from passage – (February 21, 2023)SB 47Creating Charter Schools Stimulus FundHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 51Requiring impact statement in certain instances of school closing or consolidationTo Governor 3/10/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 83Authorizing tactical medical professionals to carry firearmsApproved by Governor 2/9/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 3, 2023)SB 89Requiring hospitals to staff qualified personnel to perform sexual assault forensic examsApproved by Governor 3/1/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 22, 2023)SB 99Relating to meetings among county boards of educationHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 121Creating Student Journalist Press Freedom Protection ActCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 128Clarifying authority of Governor and Legislature to proclaim and declare state of emergency and preparednessBecame law without Governor’s signature- House JournalEffective from passage – (February 23, 2023)SB 131Allowing municipal fire marshals to receive service weapon upon retirementTo Governor 3/8/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 132Clarifying criminal offense of harassmentApproved by Governor 2/6/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 2, 2023)SB 136Requiring persons convicted of certain offenses to undergo psychological or psychiatric testing and have treatment plan to be eligible for probationApproved by Governor 3/11/2023Effective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 31, 2023)SB 142Modifying procedures to settle estates of decedentsTo Governor 3/9/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 143Relating to Adopt-A-Stream ProgramApproved by Governor 2/6/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (April 30, 2023)SB 146Modifying regulations of peer-to-peer car sharing programCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 149Exempting certain organizations from property taxationHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 151Levying tax on pass-through entity’s incomeEffective ninety days from passageCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 161Authorizing DNR to manage and dispose of propertyApproved by Governor 1/24/2023 – House JournalEffective from passage – (January 20, 2023)SB 162Authorizing director of DNR to lease state-owned pore spaces in certain areas for carbon sequestrationApproved by Governor 1/24/2023 – Senate JournalEffective from passage – (January 20, 2023)SB 187Making it felony offense for school employee or volunteer to engage in sexual contact with studentsCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 188Grid Stabilization and Security Act of 2023To Governor 3/8/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 191Relating to liability for payment of court costs as condition of pretrial diversion agreementHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 200Allowing leashed dogs to track wounded elk, turkey, and wild boar when huntingCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 205Relating to registration platesTo Governor 3/10/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 207Relating to state allocation of funding to regional councilsApproved by Governor 2/9/2023 – House JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 2, 2023)SB 208Relating to criminal justice training for all law-enforcement and correction officers regarding individuals with autism spectrum disordersApproved by Governor 3/11/2023Effective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 31, 2023)SB 220Industrial Hemp Development ActCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 231Transferring administration of WV Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Matching Funds Program to Department of Economic DevelopmentApproved by Governor 2/6/2023 – House JournalEffective from passage – (January 27, 2023)SB 232Creating study group to make recommendations regarding diversion of persons with disabilities from criminal justice systemCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 237Relating to Public Employees Retirement System and State Teachers Retirement SystemTo Governor 3/9/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 239Requiring Commissioner of Bureau for Behavioral Health to engage certain providers and leaders to study homeless demographicApproved by Governor 2/24/2023 – Senate JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 16, 2023)SB 240Requiring state board of examination or registration proceedings to be open to public inspectionCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 241Patient Brokering ActApproved by Governor 2/17/2023 – Senate JournalEffective from passage – (February 9, 2023)SB 244Making rosters of individuals who obtain professional, occupational, and trade licenses, registrations, and certificates available to publicHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 246Revising membership of Broadband Enhancement CouncilTo Governor 3/8/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 247Making administrative appeals and judicial review of board action subject to provisions of Administrative Procedures ActHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 258Eliminating ceiling on fair market value of consumer goods and permitting dealer to require security depositHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 267Updating law regarding prior authorizationsTo Governor 3/10/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 268Relating to PEIATo Governor 3/7/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 270Adding exemption to permit requirement for cremationApproved by Governor 3/11/2023Effective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 31, 2023)SB 271Modifying approval process requirements for First Responders Honor BoardHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 273Relating to allocation of child protective workers in counties based upon population of countyCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 275Adding State Fire Marshals to statute included with law enforcement and first responders that receive information on school safety requirementsApproved by Governor 2/24/2023 – Senate JournalEffective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 18, 2023)SB 276Awarding service weapon of retiring State Fire MarshalApproved by Governor 3/11/2023Effective from passage – (March 2, 2023)SB 294Clarifying amount of deputy sheriff annual salary increaseHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 298Relating to non-federally declared emergencies and non-states of emergencyHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 300Relating to law-enforcement training and certificationApproved by Governor 3/11/2023Effective Ninety Days from Passage – (May 31, 2023)SB 302Relating to Law Enforcement Safety ActHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 335Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rulesTo Governor 3/9/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 345Authorizing Department of Revenue to promulgate legislative rulesCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 356Authorizing DOT to promulgate legislative rulesHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 361Authorizing miscellaneous boards and agencies to promulgate legislative rulesCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 409Authorizing Department of Commerce to promulgate legislative rulesHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 422Requiring public schools to publish curriculum online at beginning of each new school yearCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 423Increasing salary for certain state employeesTo Governor 3/7/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 430Relating to State Treasurer’s authority to contract with financial institutions for banking goods and servicesTo Governor 3/8/2023Completed Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 439Establishing design-build program for DEPTo Governor 3/9/2023 – House JournalCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 443Directing payment of estate administration fee to State AuditorHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 444Transferring moneys in WV Future Fund to General Revenue FundHouse Message receivedCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 446Removing methanol and methanol fuel from definition of special fuelCompleted legislative actionCompleted Legislation awaiting Governor’s signatureSB 449…[Message clipped]  View entire messageReplyReply allForward
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