MORGANTOWN – Here is a look at some of the bills introduced on Friday, Jan. 21. Local sponsors and cosponsors, if any, are noted.
SB 460, to help stabilize funding sources for the WVDEP DAQ. “Since the Clean Air Act was amended in 1990, industrial air emissions in WV have decreased approximately 80%. Fees for large industrial sources are based on their emissions rates; therefore, revenues have also been decreasing. Currently, the DAQ funds are not invested. This proposal would establish authority for WVDEP to invest DAQ funds.” Sen. Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, lead sponsor; Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker, co-sponsor.
SB 464, to include independent contractors within the definition of employee to receive the same wage and earnings protections and legal remedies. Sens. Bob Beach, D-Monongalia, Mike Caputo. D-Marion, co-sponsors.
HB 4311, to prohibit voting more than once in any election, whether held in West Virginia or between West Virginia and another state, and making such violations a felony offense; making it a felony offense to vote when not legally entitled to do so; and making it a felony offense to reject valid votes, alter ballots, or deceive voters. Delegates Amy Summers, R-Taylor, Guy Ward, R-Marion, co-sponsors.
HB 4315, to require inmates housed in the State of West Virginia to be assigned to gender-specific facilities based upon their biological gender at birth.
HB 4320, “All persons who have contracted a communicable or infectious disease and who have obtained natural immunity shall be classified as fully vaccinated, regardless of whether or not that person has obtained a vaccine for the illness before or after he or she contracted it. … All persons who have natural immunity or antibodies to any communicable or infectious illness shall be treated as equal or preferred to those who have vaccine induced immunity.”
HB 4321, to eliminate standardized testing requirements in West Virginia public and private schools.
HB 4328, to require all abortions to be performed by a physician board-certified eligible in obstetrics and gynecology.
HB 4337, to establish the Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection and Education Act; provides that abortion may not be performed for Down syndrome and other disabilities except in the case of a medical emergency.
HB 4342, to create the Relief at the Pump Law, which provides a 10-cent refund of tax paid gasoline, diesel, or gasohol gallonage paid at the pump by residents of West Virginia during times of surplus budgets by the state as a way to give back to the taxpayers.
