Senate receives committee reports on supplemental appropriations and gives first reading to many bills

The Senate floor heard a series of committee reports and first readings of bills covering supplemental appropriations and a range of policy areas.

The clerk read the finance committee report (Jason Barrett, chair) recommending passage of several supplemental appropriation bills, including Senate Bills 787 (Department of Commerce), 791 (Department of Homeland Security), 829 (Department of Administration), 873 (Department of Commerce), 1043 (Department of Agriculture) and 1084 (Department of Tourism). The committee also reported a committee substitute for Senate Bill 832 (supplemental appropriation to the Bureau of Senior Services) recommending the substitute do pass. The clerk read these items for first reading where appropriate and the bills were advanced.

The workforce committee (Roland A. Roberts, chair) reported Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 requesting a study by the joint committee on government and finance of the ongoing water crisis affecting southern West Virginia, specifically McDowell and Wyoming counties. The education committee (Amy Ann Grady, chair) reported engrossed committee substitutes for House Bill 4087 (to create a West Virginia‑Ireland education alliance) and House Bill 5163 (exempting certain county board‑operated childcare programs from licensing), recommending passage but, under original double committee reference, referral to the finance committee. The judiciary committee (Thomas E. Willis II, chair) reported bills relating to mental health examination requirements and several measures addressing juvenile jurisdiction on military installations and military interpersonal violence; the clerk read those bills for first reading where taken up.

Most items on the floor were reports and first readings; where committee reports recommended passage under double committee reference, the clerk and presiding officer recorded referral to the committee on finance as required by the legislative process. Several bills were advanced to later stages for committee consideration or additional reference.