MORGANTOWN – During a long Friday, the Senate made short work of a series of House bills dealing with higher education funding, splitting the Department of Health and Human Resources and other topics.
HB 4008 establishes a new higher education funding formula. The formula is performance based, focused on student success and institutional goal measures, with productivity incentives. It passed 34-0 and returns to the House for amendment concurrence.
HB 4020 would divide the Department of Health and Human Resources into two departments: the Department of Health and the Department of Human Resources. Each would have its own secretary.
The bill assigns various divisions to each and leaves some agencies unassigned. The two secretaries would start working out the details on Jan. 1, 2023, and have a plan ready for legislative approval so that the two departments would start work on July 1, 2023.
It passed 32-2 and will head to the governor. Locally, Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, voted no.
HB 4355 deals with disclosures to college students of the costs of their educational materials. It passed 33-0 and returns to the House for amendment concurrence.
HB 4098 is the Geothermal Resources Act and directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a geothermal energy permitting system. It specifies that geothermal energy is not a water or mineral resource and belongs to the surface owner. It passed 33-0 and goes back to House for amendment concurrence.
HB 4787 is the Fully Autonomous Vehicle Act and sets up regulations for driverless vehicles. It passed
34-0 and goes back to the House for amendment concurrence.
Abortion bill
Late Friday afternoon, the Senate recessed so that the Health Committee could meet and consider HB 4004, the bill to band abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation. Upon reconvening, the Senate read the bill a first time. Saturday is the last day of the session and the bill will be on second reading for amendment adoption and then third reading for passage.
Other action
SB 487 deals with depositing surplus revenue into the Rainy Day Fund. Current law says 50% of any fund surplus at the end of a fiscal year must be transferred into the Rainy Day Fund A to make its balance equal 13% of the General Revenue Fund balance at the end of that year.
The House amended it on Thursday to change the threshold to 8% and returned it to the Senate. The Senate re-amended it on Friday to raise the threshold to 20%, but including the combined totals of Rainy Day Funds A and B. It goes back to the House.
SB 570 requires law enforcement officers to undergo training on how to deal with people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The Senate agreed to House amendments and re-passed it. It will head to the governor.
SB 172 provides for 10% raises for elected county officials: commissioner, sheriff, clerk, circuit clerk and assessor. The Senate agreed to House amendments and re-passed it. It will head to the governor.
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