In Review
Under the Dome delivers a review of issues being considered by the West Virginia Legislature. It provides information on matters that affect WVU and higher education, as well as other hot topics being addressed that impact the Mountain State and its citizens. This edition includes highlights from the third week of legislative session, a review of bills introduced and bills moving through the legislative process and the upcoming budget hearings.
School for Tourism
On Wednesday, Governor Justice announced the creation of the first-ever School for
Tourism. It will be hosted by WVU and supported by the West Virginia Department
of Education’s Division of Instruction and Career Engagement. According to Governor
Justice’s press release, the School for Tourism will provide students a 10-day,
hands-on learning tour of the Mountain State. Additionally, these budding industry
ambassadors will visit many of the state’s travel regions and meet with dozens
of industry professionals who will offer a glimpse into the variety of sectors
within tourism. This includes outdoor recreation, arts and culture, hospitality
and lodging and culinary arts. The program is provided at no cost to students and
families. The School for Tourism will accept one freshman or sophomore student
from each county, as well as one student from each of the state’s five charter
schools and a student from the West Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind.
WVU’s Chambers College of Business and Economics and the Outdoor Economic Development
Collaborative have been working with Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby on the project.
Budget Hearings
Next week, the Finance Committees will hear from WVU officials on the University’s
FY2025 budget requests. On Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., President Gee and Paula Congelio
will speak to the House Finance Committee. They will appear before the Senate Finance
Committee on Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
An audio link for the House Finance Committee can be found at:
www.wvlegislature.gov/live.cfm
.
The Senate Finance Committee will be livestreamed at:
www.wvlegislature.gov/Stream/senatechamberm451.cfm
.
Economic Development
House Bill 5308 would add economic development efforts to the purposes of higher education research corporations. It was introduced on Tuesday. It is sponsored by legislators representing Marshall and Cabell County but is supported by WVU through our Universities United partnership. A similar bill, SB 543, was introduced in the Senate. Its sponsors include Senator Oliverio from Monongalia County.
RNI
Speaker Hanshaw introduced House Bill 5014, which would provide a $2 million supplemental appropriation to the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (RNI) for a pilot project with the Food and Drug Administration. The bill will go through the House Finance Committee first before the full House considers it. Then it will go to the Senate for consideration before it would reach the Governor’s desk.
In God We Trust
Senate Bill 152 has passed the Senate 31-1. It would require all public schools, including state higher education institutions, to display the official motto of the United States (“In God We Trust”) in all classrooms if the posters are donated or paid for by a private entity or individual. Last year, a similar bill passed the Senate, but it was amended by the House Education Committee. The bill did not ultimately pass the Legislature during the 2023 session.
DEI
House Bill 4387, relating to nondiscrimination at institutions of higher education, was introduced the first day of session. It is a carryover bill from last year and was not considered during the previous session. It would restrict diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs. While this bill is not moving through the legislative process, the Government Relations Team is monitoring other bills that might affect any higher education policies, including DEI.
Longest-Serving Senator Honored
WVU joined with Marshall and other organizations in supporting the State Senate and the Legislative Women’s Caucus in paying tribute to the longest-serving state senator in West Virginia’s history – Donna J. Boley of Pleasants County. Sen. Boley has served in the Senate since 1985, when then-Gov. Arch Moore appointed her to the seat.
Bills Introduced
More than 1,600 bills have already been introduced. Historically, a couple thousand
more will be introduced by members of the House and Senate, but only 200-300 will
be seriously considered; even fewer will ultimately become law.
Several bills are being followed by the Government Relations Team and are of interest
to the University and our community. High-profile bills include:
House
HB 4011 – Modify exemptions from criminal liability to include a distinction for
biological lessons regarding reproduction
HB 4019 – Regulation of Sports Wagering
HB 4025 – Budget Bill
HB 4172 – Amend section providing for waiver of tuition and fees for older persons
auditing certain college classes
HB 4192 – Allow for religious exemptions for getting vaccinations
HB 4195 – Relating to reporting requirements under the Grant Transparency and Accountability
Act
HB 4215 – To ensure that hospitals do not provide lesser treatment to unvaccinated
individuals as opposed to vaccinated individuals
HB 4271 – Creating the Economic Development Tuition Waiver
HB 4276 – Relating to transferred right of self-defense to a person who engages
an active shooter on school grounds
HB 4290 – To create the American Campuses Act
HB 4348 – Relating to natural immunity or antibodies to any illness being treated
as equal or better to vaccine induced immunity
HB 4357 – To prohibit public university names for gender affirming care
HB 4387 – Relating to nondiscrimination at institutions of higher education, was
introduced the first day of session. It is a carryover bill from last year and
was not considered during the previous session
HB 4401 – Require that all injures and side effects from vaccines be reported by
medical professional to the Bureau for Public Health
HB 4403 – Providing options to vaccinations and mask requirements as a condition
of entry of schools
HB 4414 – Strengthening anti-hazing laws and policies for pre-K to grade 12
HB 4439 – Prohibiting requiring COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot to attend in-person
classes at colleges and universities
HB 4456 – Remove the helmet law in WV
HB 4457 – Remove assessments for home schoolers
HB 4464 – Life at Conception Act of 2024
HB 4516 – Revoke spending authority for money used by an agency in support of a
challenge to WV law
HB 4563 – Prohibit State funding for any organization that performs abortions
HB 4592 – Relating to a State-funded psychiatric residency program
HB 4629 – Hunger Free Campus Act
HB 4656 – Relating to microreactor development
HB 4693 – Expanding the amount of Promise Scholarship funds awarded to persons
majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
HB 4753 – Requiring health insurance policies and Medicaid to cover biomarker testing
HB 4755 – Terminating the Division of Personnel
HB 4756 – Creating a state Alzheimer’s plan task force
HB 4763 – Establishing behavioral health workforce initiative at HEPC
HB 4768 – Increasing the number of out-of-state medical students receiving in-state
tuition rates who agree to practice for a specific time in WV
HB 4795 – Permitting an academic medical center to operate an opioid treatment
facility
HB 4797 – Relating to reimbursement for childcare based upon enrollment
HB 4822 – Creating the Certified Sites and Development Readiness Program
HB 4824 – Relating to the Certified Industrial Business Expansion Development Program
HB 4830 – To address the professional development of teachers
HB 4846 – Relating to “In God We Trust” signs donated in schools
HB 4879 – Providing for child and dependent care credit against personal income
tax
HB 4880 – Relating to personal income tax Social Security exemption
HB 4882 – Extending in-state tuition rates to all members and veterans of the National
Guard, Reserves, and armed forces as well as their spouses
HB 4883 – Relating to increasing annual salaries of certain employees of the State
HB 4899 – WV Belief-Based Campus Student Organization Bill
HB 4908 – Permitting the state agencies to contracting with the WV public health
institute
HB 4909 – Eliminating the Certificate of Need Program for health services
HB 4919 – Relating to the Promise Scholarship
HB 4921 – Relating generally to tuition for children of out-of-state alumni of
WV state universities
HB 4939 – Banning certain practices by medical students without informed consent
HB 4947 – Creating the First Time Home Buyer Savings Account Act
HB 4951 – To facilitate the interstate practice of School Psychology in educational
or school settings
HB 4956 – Creating the Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act
HB 4958 – Creating the American Campuses Act
HB 4959 – To exclude certain students from dropout rate data
HB 4960 – To establish career exploration courses
HB 4961 – To create the Substance Abuse Recovery Tax Credit
HB 4968 – Making WV an agreement state with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
and transferring authority and responsibility for sources of radiation from other
State agencies to DEP
HB 4971 – Relating to Critical Materials Manufacturing Tax
HB 4981 – Gun carry allowed on college campuses
HB 4983 – To fund the Tobacco Use Cessation Initiative
HB 4986 – Relating to computer sciences and cybersecurity instruction for adult
learners
HB 4994 – Relating to the Anti-Terrorism Act
HB 4996 – Relating to government procurement of electric vehicles
HB 5013 – Relating to timber management
HB 5014 – Supplementing and amending appropriations to WVU General Administration
Fund
HB 5027 – Relating to State-funded institutions to purchase food from in-state
sources
HB 5029 – To create a tuition reimbursement program for Corrections employees
HB 5032 – Require hospitals under Certificate of Need to accept PEIA
HB 5038 – Relating to research and economic development agreements for state institutions
of higher education
HB 5050 – Relating to authorizing legislative rules regarding higher education
HB 5065 – Regarding continuing education requirements and compensation of Guardians
Ad Litem
Senate
SB 30 – DHHR rule relating to certificate of need
SB 152 – Displaying official motto in public schools
SB 178 – Relating to dental healthcare service plans
SB 194 – Prohibiting gender transition surgeries, treatments and therapies to minors
SB 198 – Prohibiting teaching of divisive acts and critical race theory in public
schools
SB 200 – Budget Bill
SB 225 – Establishing revocation of authority for spending by agency in support
of challenge to WV law
SB 257 – Prohibiting mandates for vaccines
SB 258 – Increasing tax credit for employers providing childcare for employees
SB 259 – Requiring Higher Education Policy Commission to create and administer
PROMISE Plus Program
SB 269 – Excluding test strips from definition of drug paraphernalia
SB 273 – Prohibiting certain divisive acts or concepts from schools, State agencies
and any groups receiving State funding
SB 278 – WV Chemical Abortion Prohibition Act
SB 279 – Requiring medical professionals to report injuries and side effects from
vaccines to the Bureau for Public Health
SB 284 – Fetal Heartbeat Act
SB 292 – Hunger Free Campus Act
SB 309 – Authorizing child or childcare tax credit
SB 323 – Creating tax credit related to childcare expenses
SB 330 – Creating psychiatric residency program
SB 333 – Dissolving PEIA and converting to employer-owned mutual insurance company
SB 334 – Enabling WVSU and Bluefield State University to offer associate degrees
SB 336 – Return to WV Tax Credit Act
SB 343 – Providing medical examination transportation services for students who
seek support after experiencing sexual violence
SB 352 – Modifying Unborn Child Protection Act
SB 357 – Permitting dental hygienist to perform tobacco cessation education
SB 361 – Promise for Promise Act
SB 367 – Anti-Racism Act of 2024
SB 373 – Providing tax credit to corporations for existing employer-provide childcare
facilities
SB 393 – Related to modifying concealed carry permit
SB 410 – Requiring all State buildings to provide private room for nursing or breastfeeding
purposes
SB 412 – Amending medical exemptions to State vaccination laws
SB 426 – WV Recreational Trails Development Act
SB 443 – Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act
SB 458 – Relating to personal income tax Social Security exemption
SB 459 – Increasing senior citizen property tax credit and expanding eligibility
requirements
SB 460 – Providing for child and dependent care credit against personal income
tax
SB 484 – Extending in-state tuition rates to all members, veterans and spouses
of National Guard, Reserves and armed forces
SB 485 – Increasing annual salaries of certain employees
SB 495/SB 496 – Prohibiting racial discrimination based on certain hair textures
and hairstyles
SB 499 – Permitting care of patient by telemedicine across state lines
SB 503 – Protecting belief-based student organizations from certain types of discrimination
SB 526 – Verifying legal employment states of workers to governmental agencies
SB 529 – Including Salem University in Promise Scholarship Program
SB 543 – Relating to research and economic development agreements for state institutions
of higher education
SB 546 – Updating STEM
SB 547 – Authorizing legislative rules for Higher Education Policy Commission
SB 553 – Providing for religious exemptions for school attendance immunizations
SB 558 – Requiring publicly funded medical schools to teach certain life-saving
methods
Legislative Calendar
Tuesday, January 30
WVU and WVU Extension Day at the Capitol
Tuesday, February 13
Last Day to Introduce Bills in the House
Friday, February 16
Adventure Travel Day at the Capitol
Monday, February 19
Monongalia County Day at the Capitol
Monday, February 19
Last Day to Introduce Bills in the Senate
Thursday, February 22 Undergraduate
Research Day at the Capitol
Sunday, February 25
Bills Due Out of Committees of Origin
Wednesday, February 28 Final Day to Consider
Bills on Third Reading
Thursday, February 29 Arts Day
at the Capitol
Saturday, March 9
Last Day of Session
More Information
To learn more about the Legislature, including district maps, committee assignments,
bill tracking and a summary of daily activities, please visit
wvlegislature.gov
.
To learn more about WVU’s government relations and legislative initiatives, please
visit
governmentrelations.wvu.edu/
or contact Travis Mollohan, associate vice president for government relations and
collaboration, at
tmolloh1@mail.wvu.edu.