West Virginia Senate advances dozens of House measures, adopts committee amendments

The West Virginia Senate on second reading adopted committee amendments and advanced a broad slate of House measures to third reading, the presiding officer announced.

Several bills drew committee strike-and-insert amendments that senators explained on the floor before voice votes. The Committee on the Judiciary's amendment to an excise-tax measure (House Bill 46-25) was presented by the Junior Senator from the 15th, who said the change "adds clarifying language" while leaving the bill's original intent intact; the amendment was adopted and the bill advanced.

Other committee changes adopted included a consolidated amendment to House Bill 47-93 to incorporate related provisions affecting barber and cosmetology programs and the board that regulates them, and a Judiciary amendment to House Bill 48-42 (civil remedies for unauthorized disclosure of intimate images) that clarified the bill's application to a recently created extortion offense and added an aggravated offense.

The floor also saw action on public-safety and administration bills. A committee substitute for a contempt-of-court bill (House Bill 48-93) was explained as raising maximum fines for magistrate-court contempt (first offense up to $200; second up to $500; third up to $1,000) and allowing alternative sentences such as work release for third or subsequent offenses; senators adopted the amendment and advanced the measure.

Senators approved a government-organization amendment to a cybersecurity bill (House Bill 56-38) that would require the state chief information security officer to ensure state software licensing contracts do not limit the state's ability to install or run software on hardware chosen by the state.

On the floor, the Clerk and committee chairs also presented numerous committee reports recommending bills for passage or re-referral, including reports from Natural Resources, Energy, Industry and Mining, Finance, Judiciary and other standing and select committees. Several House-passed supplemental-appropriation bills were read for the first time and either advanced or made available for immediate consideration.

Senator from Lewis frequently moved for unanimous consent to take up bills for immediate consideration; where objections were not raised, the Senate dispensed with committee reference and read bills for first reading.

The session ended after the body took recorded votes on two Senate measures (see "Votes at a glance"). The Senate adjourned to meet again at 11 a.m. the next day.