Senate education panel advances repeal of obsolete education code sections in House Bill 5537

The West Virginia Senate Education Committee on March 10 approved a committee amendment and voted to report House Bill 5537 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass as amended. The motion was made and seconded by committee leadership and carried by voice vote.

Counsel summarized that the bill strikes multiple obsolete sections of the education code, including provisions on professional development, a three-year behavioral interventionist pilot, requirements for county boards to compile lists of facilities for child daycare, and sections tied to high-school graduation reporting. Counsel also said a committee amendment would add section 18-5-34 — a code provision last amended in 1923 — to the list of repealed sections.

Committee members asked brief procedural questions about the title and scope of the repeal; there was no extended debate. The committee adopted the counsel-explained amendment by voice vote, and the vice chair moved that the measure be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass as amended. The chair declared the motion adopted after the 'ayes' were called.

The committee did not take additional testimony on the measure during the meeting. The bill will move to the Senate floor with the committee's recommendation.