MORGANTOWN — The House of Delegates was unified on a list of bills and resolutions on Wednesday, except one promoting moonshine. The booze bill passed by just one vote.
HB 4793, the moonshine bill, would allow home distilling of up to 25 gallons for one person aged 21 and older in a household, or up to 50 gallons in a household with two or more of legal drinking age.
Judiciary chair Tom Fast, R-Fayette, has been consistently opposed to booze bills in his 10 years in office. He said, “The Legislature in the past 10 years has just paved the way for more and more and more alcohol consumption and alcohol use.”
He spoke at length on the public health issues associated with alcohol and said the bill doesn’t fix any existing problems. “Let’s send it in the trash can where it belongs.”
Delegate Geoff Foster, R-Putnam, agreed with the intent of the bill but said the 50-gallon limit was excessive, allowing the moonshiner to get drunk 267 times. “That’s a problem.”
The vote was 49-48 with two delegates absent, and it goes to the Senate.
Locally, Republicans Geno Chiarelli and Amy Summers, and Democrats Joey Garcia, Anitra Hamilton, Evan Hansen and John Williams voted for it. Republicans Mike DeVault, Buck Jennings, Phil Mallow, Joe Statler, George Street and Debbie Warner voted against it.
Senate resolutions
SJR 16 is headed: “Urging the United States Congress to enact much-needed reforms to federal permitting policies to accelerate deployment of new energy infrastructure.”
Lead sponsor Senate President Craig Blair previously said the state Legislature reviews and approves agency rules created to carry out state code. This provides checks and balances, noting it’s not that way at the federal level, where Congress has abdicated its authority to the agencies.
SCR 16 is an all-of-the above energy resolution, he said, aimed at the federal permitting delays that discourage investment in energy projects, to the detriment of national security.
On the House floor, Economic Development chair Gary Howell, R-Mineral, explained the resolution and said, “We should not be hampered by our own government through outdated, cumbersome regulations that give foreign and enemy countries an advantage over our own citizens.”
Delegate Daniel Linville, R-Cabell said federal regulations are important but aren’t accomplishing their intended ends. He cited work on the Milton flood wall, where the Army Corps of Engineers was charging $10 million to sift through dirt, under the Historic Preservation Act, that was going back onto the wall; and the $100 million loss to the state because someone found two bumblebees along Corridor H.
“There’s a reason we can’t build anything in this country anymore,” he said.
The vote was 93-4, with four Democrats voting against, including Hamilton and Hansen.
SCR 17 — “Reaffirming support of WV Legislature for State of Israel and Jewish people.”
Linville explained the resolution and said, “This isn’t about the Right or the Left, this is about the right or the wrong.
Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, as “50% of the House Jewish caucus,” expressed his appreciation for the spirit of resolution, but urged his colleagues to consider it and its opposition when they vote on future bills that recognize the establishment of one religion over another.
The vote was unanimous. Copies will be sent to the U.S. president, the U.S. House speaker, the U.S. Senate majority leader, West Virginia’s congressional delegation, the U.S ambassador to Israel and Israel’s prime minister.
House bills
HB 4620 removes the expiration date for a food handler card and allows volunteers without a card to work under a person with a card up to 12 times a year. It passed 97-0 and goes to the Senate.
HB 4666 enhances criminal penalties for human trafficking involving adults and minors and eliminates the possibility of parole for crimes involving minors. Lead sponsor Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, said current code is too weak, forcing prosecutors to send cases to the feds. This bill will make state law stronger than federal law. It passed 97-0 and goes to the Senate.
HB 4766 aims to increase the number of out-of-state medical students receiving in-state tuition rates who agree to practice for a specific time within West Virginia from two to four program participants per medical school — increasing the total number to 12. It also passed 97-0 and goes to the Senate.
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