CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The House Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon.
House Bill 5002 requires at least one baby changing station in all state-owned rest areas for male and female bathrooms beginning January 1, 2025. The bill advances to the floor.
House Bill 5295 authorizes private outdoor designed areas (PODA) to simultaneously host multiple qualified permit holders, including properly insured private fairs and festivals. PODA is a public area where people can have open outdoor beverages. The bill allows the fair or festival to become a qualified permit holder to participate as part of the PODA. The bill advances to the floor.
House Bill 5343 adds a solely licensed athletic trainer to the Board of Physical Therapy to replace the physical therapist whose term expires next.
House Bill 5399 moves the audits of the state’s volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies from the Legislative Auditor to the State Auditor. The State Auditor will select up to ten volunteer fire departments to participate in a pilot program using the State Auditor’s WV Checkbook fiscal reporting system to assess how the transition to the new account reporting system will work in the VFDs. The bill advances.
The committee reconsidered Senate Bill 171 to withdraw an amendment previously adopted to the bill. The bill prohibits county commissions from adopting any ordinance, rule, license requirement, or other authorization that exceeds state law, rule, or regulation regarding agricultural operations. The bill revokes and prohibits any ordinance, rule, or regulation previously adopted by county commissions regarding agricultural operations. The bill prohibits county commissions from adopting ordinances that regulate dwellings or other buildings on agricultural land or operations. The bill without the amendment advances to the floor.
