CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The House started at 9 a.m. on the final day of the session. Of the 2460 bills introduced this legislative session, 246 bills completed legislative action.
Senate Bill 299 changes the state’s regulation of pubertal modulation and hormonal therapy. Last year, a bill was passed that allowed hormonal medication therapy in cases where a child was at risk for suicide. The bill prohibits any gender-altering medication from being provided with the intention of gender transitioning. The bill allows for action to be brought in court against any provider who violates this section and for the licensing board to be notified. Amendments were offered to the bill; however, both were rejected. The bill completed legislative action.
House Bill 2755 requires the West Virginia Board of Education to submit rules and policies to the Legislature for review. This bill was a constitutional amendment offered on the ballot in 2022, and 50 of the 55 counties voted against it.
The motion to concur with the Senate in House Bill 2451 was rejected. The Senate amendment removed the non-impact home-based business and stated how municipalities may regulate the businesses. The amendment removed municipal licenses for independent contractors or sole proprietors who do not maintain a permanent location in city limits. The amendment would not have allowed B&O or privilege tax on a business making less than $10,000 a year. The amendment exempted individuals making less than $10,000 a year from the $30 annual business registration tax. The House requested the Senate recede. A conference committee on the bill took place and this amendment passed.
The House refused to concur and asked the Senate to recede on House Bill 3181 and House Bill 3294.
House Bill 2267, which was rejected yesterday, was amended and passed. The amendment removed the additional hour customers could remain at a bar after alcohol is no longer served. The House passed the amended bill to the Senate. The Senate refused to concede, and a conference committee was appointed. The report was received, and the bill was passed.
House Bill 2014 passed with an additional amendment for concurrence from the Senate. The bill creates a Certified Microgrid Program in the Division of Economic Development to attract high-impact data centers to the state and localized power generation for microgrids. The amendment alters how the taxes collected would be distributed:
- 50 percent to the Personal Income Tax Reduction Fund
- 30 percent of the county where the Data Center is located
- 10 percent to all counties on a per capita basis
- 5 percent to the Economic Enhancement Grant Fund administered by the Water Development Authority
- 5 percent to the Electric Grid Stabilization and Security Fund
House Bill 3166 requires each county board of education to create standardized school safety mapping data. Boards must consult with local authorities to ensure the data meets the requirements. The bill exempts the data from FOIA and adds an internal effective date of September 1, 2026.
House Bill 3411 eliminates expired boards and removes legislative membership requirements for some committees. The Senate amendment removed changes to the committee membership for CSI and the Oversight Commission on the Fusion Center. Additionally, it permitted the Speaker and the president to select an equal number of senators and delegates to commissions.
The Senate’s amended version of House Bill 3111 replaces the House’s $3,500 pay raise for some judicial offices (only for Circuit Court Judges, Family Court Judges, and Magistrates) by giving Family Court Judges $15,000, Supreme Court, Intermediate Court, and Circuit Court, $10,000, and no pay raise for Magistrates, all effective beginning July 1, 2025. The bill also returns all judges and justices to the Tier 1 pension plan, ignoring the bill suspending employer contribution until the system is lowered to 125 percent funded. Due to these changes, the House concurred with an additional amendment to make the bill effective July 1, 2026, to prevent the bill from affecting the 2026 budget, which just completed action yesterday.
Senate Bill 474 was taken up after days of being postponed. The bill eliminates divisions, officers, programs, training, and policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion from all departments, divisions, agencies, boards, public primary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher learning.
The debate on amendments was limited to one hour excluding questions and explanation. Twenty-two amendments were offered to the bill, but only three were adopted. The first amendment was adopted to clarify that any policy program, training, practice, activities, or procedures required for accreditation standards may take place. The second amendment adopted expresses that nothing in the bill excludes the State Board of Education from the Human Rights Act. The third amendment adopted expresses that nothing in the bill excludes the Universities from the Human Rights Act.
Several amendments were rejected including changing the effected date by one year; a First Amendment protection; a veterans’ exemption, collaboration with the private sector, community programs, and workforce programs that have DEI programs; protection for university libraries; and financial aid.
Opponents of the bill stated that DEI is not an actual problem in the state. The Minority Leader said that DEI has “never been about unqualified people skipping the line. It’s been about qualified people getting a change.” The proponents did not speak to the bill other than to explain and the previous question was called. The bill passed with 87 in favor and 12 opposed. The bill advanced to the Senate for concurrence.
The House is adjourned sine die.
