[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6095715,"mediaKeyId","2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00","parentId",2837065,"title","Votes at a glance: key Senate actions March 31, 2025","audioSeconds",623,"startMs",1755000,"endMs",2378000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00&start=1755&end=2378","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00/thumbnail_1755000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6095715/West-Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-key-Senate-actions-March-31-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095715-bdca5575f53c55f9e82023f842954bea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188956&Signature=LxI6p5d8ZY2ToIiN88fNMKv2PYVjYjTdY7U8I-RoztL7EiB2FQvFjz5IjyZyPGv-ejtJJc~mZL5RajkV~lO6v8E6P4IeiL3aOh56WcVVCaDV2HKsRe1CQI6orn0gCPt8HmuGqEZVVvL3WdXI97uriTjhKCOl0aRcBUhbPAstaev2hvKjziaJ1mx69cHDNApyHP0Vc0ocLW20gbU5gzrRNmniQ3JYui2BEvNbhCRPNZg5zmCHTl-cHgM5eg5A3vyqbLD0MLd5EhxTCOfvJsW764mD8ZRcLh4-BCwf8cDGDvw3eEJmABl2JKX2SPhKJ~JQL6xo1xw~KrH01vqWzXmD8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Virginia Legislature","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate recorded votes and formal actions on numerous bills and resolutions during its March 31 floor session. The items below reflect the outcomes as announced on the floor and recorded in the session transcript.

Votes and actions (selected items recorded on the Senate floor):

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 67 (motor vehicle racing permits): Passed on third reading; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Bill restricting mailed abortifacients (bill text read on the floor): Passed on a roll call recorded as 28 yays, 5 nays, 1 absent; title amendment adopted; clerk transmitted action to the House.

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 158 (modifying eligibility for state Board of Education members): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Engrossed Senate Bill 553 (amend traffic code re: speeding abstracts on controlled-access highways): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announcement).

- Cohen Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act (bill creating safety committee and private grant program): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Securities/fees bill (notice filing and fee changes for securities commission): Floor announcement of result contains an unclear transcript of machine counts; the clerk declared the bill passed; precise tally in the transcript is not specified.

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 701 (forestry equipment property classification): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent. Later, the Senate approved making the bill effective 07/01/2025 by a recorded vote of 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 745 (strengthening lobbying requirements): Motion to refer to Rules Committee passed (roll-call recorded as 22 yeas, 11 nays, 1 absent); bill referred to Rules.

- Engrossed Senate Bill 828 (corrections vendors included in criminal provisions): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Engrossed Senate Bill 848 (bank protections for eligible adults against financial exploitation): Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 875 (private-label beer brands for a single on-premises licensee, limited production): Passed; recorded as 20 yays, 13 nays, 1 absent; title amendment adopted.

- Engrossed Senate Bill 911 (adjunct teaching permits): Passed (clerk declared passage; exact roll-call not specified in floor transcript excerpt).

- Senate Bill 939 (testing schedule for medication-assisted-treatment programs): Passed; recorded as 34 yays, 0 nays, 0 absent.

- Senate Bill 940 (Water Pollution Control Act amendments): Passed; recorded as 32 yays, 2 nays, 0 absent.

- Bill authorizing UAV use to track mortally wounded game: Passed; recorded as 33 yays, 1 nay, 0 absent.

Several other bills were advanced, engrossed or placed on second reading during the session; where the transcript did not print a full roll-call in the excerpt, the floor announcement indicated advancement or adoption (see transcript for exact language). For bills with unclear or incomplete machine-count text in the transcript, this summary lists the outcome as declared on the floor and notes where the tally was not specified in the transcript.

Notes: This roundup summarizes floor actions recorded in the Senate transcript for March 31, 2025. For bill texts, complete vote records or any House action, consult the official bill files and the House journal.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate in Session Apr 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Roll-call and voice votes on a range of bills and resolutions in the West Virginia Senate on March 31, 2025; list includes bills that passed, referrals and title amendments.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature WV, West Virginia","taxId",77714,"location","West Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095720,"Lobbying reform bill sent to rules amid extended floor remarks on transparency",2165,3234000,5399000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00&start=3234&end=5399","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00/thumbnail_3234000.jpg","/articles/6095720/West-Virginia/Lobbying-reform-bill-sent-to-rules-amid-extended-floor-remarks-on-transparency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095720-e1f8d98dabe3ebfbf523b2d4b0a98844/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188956&Signature=N0BduWw6EKYxy80WU3kUZ8EAnSYXjI6lSm~JvSFUzFESzCbhk7pDSS4lojltlUqg~QPYYB0EaYjk6PeBGp9XKwoktQSpnxOg8rZER7UYb4nGYxP~3GUDf6tCjFNgXaWnOUJA18XSgffxhHffvd~gMfx8-PmNCea7s0Aiy1I2Iue5arwbtdP~Pe9HF-R8iLUvBmFxsSYJ7G-KvC-hlbGOFGvB~iIlxdfmIj8IIGuB3gAQmTodKuRRnvD2wy7ECr8HgIgij6rCNvEKojh1AM~wnH7Sj4xTMkergeeWaz1uzEmVKatPO1UX-lsXP8NGfVblz6szhVifyEWcGv6EDWVubA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A major lobbying reform proposal was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 31 after a roll-call motion, and the referral touched off extended floor remarks about transparency, accountability and public trust in government.

Senate members voted to refer the bill to the committee on rules by a roll-call recorded as 22 yeas, 11 nays, 1 absent. The presiding officer announced that the motion passed and that the bill would be sent to rules.

Following the referral, a senator who had worked on the reform delivered a lengthy floor speech calling the measure “the most significant effort to instill transparency and accountability of government in a generation in West Virginia.” He argued that lobbying and special-interest activity should be “freedom in the sunlight” and repeatedly called for transparency, saying, among other things, “Transparency breeds accountability.” The senator urged members to support reforms requiring disclosure of lobbyist income and to restore citizens’ trust in elected officials.

Other senators on the floor praised the institution and the rule-bound legislative process in response to the exchange. The referral means the full measure will be subject to further committee consideration rather than immediate floor passage.

Why it matters: The sponsor framed the bill as overhaul of registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists and special interests; referral to rules delays or alters any immediate consideration and signals further committee-level negotiation.

What happens next: The Rules Committee will consider the proposal; any amendments or scheduling would be set by that committee.","Senate voted to refer a broad lobbying reform bill to the rules committee, prompting lengthy floor remarks from a sponsor who urged transparency and criticized dark-money influence.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095724,"Senate unanimously passes Cohen Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act, creates safety committee and grant program",370,2566000,2936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00&start=2566&end=2936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00/thumbnail_2566000.jpg","/articles/6095724/West-Virginia/Senate-unanimously-passes-Cohen-Craddock-Student-Athlete-Safety-Act-creates-safety-committee-and-grant-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095724-814c19132fab05e7ed995b6df7b46a7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188956&Signature=bJsABMkveWtQS~VtNvsQIefszyNnDTYxDb1FqN7M4z2O476x6gSr7QIvsdw4Jm1ugFDNC2PalbUHF~ddL43QC0W8lP2jtAYI7H~P86xSV6borLF-lnZJCR5oo~u9QS7l1l6zXL7vm7W5i0CfcUSMdLrH4CH-5KBSQFUcERlxxGSBkNuzbllX4bYxBFdUycfn0EpHRBYgKED7courpaz5mvsQ-hydIBVIbJtMn5o8UkvMP~Xmv8JiOYZeqoFzalNY-E2IYxyuMIPzI-GNMz3t2a7zC2UTSsJrEgB9JapcKpKDK62p6TGKs51KdrfoIJj2qYr1iT9HzZrluwB4o8zbeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on March 31 passed the Cohen Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act, creating a permanent student-athlete safety committee and a grant program intended to help schools and youth sports programs obtain improved safety equipment.

The bill, named for a Boone County student who died following a football-related head injury on Aug. 24, 2024, would establish a nine-member committee including athletic-safety experts, athletic trainers and education administrators. A sponsor described the measure as a response to the family’s call to reduce future tragedies.

“The bill creates a 9 member student athlete safety committee with a composition specified in statute, including a mix of athlete athletic safety experts, athletic trainers, and education administrators,” the sponsor said on the floor. He said the committee will make ongoing recommendations as equipment and standards evolve. The sponsor noted testimony to committees that no currently available helmet meets proposed safety standards expected in two years and that the grant program is central to help schools equip players.

The measure sets up a grant program to assist with the cost of helmet covers and other protective equipment for a range of sports, from football to soccer and volleyball. The sponsor told the chamber the grant program will be funded by private donations; any legislative funding would be discretionary and the bill places no mandatory cost on taxpayers.

The Senate voted 33–0 with one member absent to pass the bill. A floor roll call recorded 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent.

Why it matters: The legislation is intended to standardize and raise safety for student athletes across West Virginia and to provide resources for local programs that lack funds for modern safety gear. Supporters framed the bill as turning a family tragedy into a statewide safety effort.

What happens next: The clerk transmitted the Senate’s action to the House for consideration.","The legislature approved a measure to form a student-athlete safety committee and a privately funded grant program to help schools obtain safer equipment; bill was named for a student who died after a sports-related head injury.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":46,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095729,"Senate approves bill criminalizing mailed abortifacients after heated debate",540,1838000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00&start=1838&end=2378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837065-913657beb8bae9c4d678cc577dc5df00/thumbnail_1838000.jpg","/articles/6095729/West-Virginia/Senate-approves-bill-criminalizing-mailed-abortifacients-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095729-3d771811574d400f7d8673358fcaaf58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188956&Signature=gODpG7xRDonHNroxuTo8fem2Pkn6IFnuAyX~wzJKfno~osmQ9N7NaQCwhr3kf1lKN36JJ1fYax9C5-LBhfb1ftiOIfeiChdkDH29Wo8ZulGHfBPGVnMmaB4OlgCHJLMe0vjpESTkWw02kaK4NNBjD-4PdJzZtRKnRa5h1EOcTjVVI~w22Fx8T97uPsHFtU23oUg7I-xvFdwiu1lJW-~HuwOXSqgL-IvYV7KrqZO0C7Kn7X3PjHHcIyUQ~~T1Wdko0Fj94v97VHrHmrPTO91doGmEdQme17-epfe5wfpiw5efC~jdRDNxAU57mPhSudARAEMg3KxuwyrYzqkqabIYdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on March 31 passed legislation that makes it a crime to send or deliver abortifacient drugs to state residents without a lawful prescription, after extended floor debate about enforcement mechanisms and possible economic effects.

Supporters said the bill clarifies existing law and provides a means of enforcement. “It first defines abortifescence as any chemical or drug prescribed or dispensed with the intent of causing an abortion,” a sponsor told the Senate, adding that penalties for unlicensed individuals would mirror existing unlawful-abortion provisions in state law. The sponsor urged passage, saying the measure aligns criminal penalties with current code and incorporates West Virginia’s limited statutory exceptions for abortion.

Opponents focused on a private civil cause of action included in the bill and on possible consequences for recruiting employers. “This bill has 2 silent killers in it, mister president,” a senator said on the floor, arguing that private civil suits could deter businesses from locating or expanding in West Virginia. He urged colleagues to remove the private cause of action and noted an alternative enforcement provision that would allow the state attorney general to seek civil penalties instead.

Debate on the floor also included questions about whether advocacy groups had taken positions; one senator asked whether West Virginia’s for Life had issued an official statement and was told it had not. Supporters said the bill does not expand abortion restrictions beyond existing law but instead provides enforcement tools.

The Senate recorded the vote as 28 yays, 5 nays, 1 absent, and the presiding officer declared the bill passed. A title amendment was offered and adopted on the floor before the clerk transmitted the action to the House.

Why it matters: The legislation affects how chemical abortions may be furnished or mailed to West Virginia residents and prescribes criminal penalties and license revocations for certain actors. The debate highlighted competing policy goals — stricter enforcement of abortion restrictions versus concerns about private civil suits and the potential effect on state economic development and medical practice.

What happens next: The clerk communicated the Senate’s action to the House. The bill’s final status and any House action were not part of the recorded Senate proceeding.

","On March 31, 2025, the West Virginia Senate passed legislation that defines and penalizes the delivery of abortifacient drugs into the state; the measure drew sustained debate over private civil suits and effects on medical practice.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key Senate actions March 31, 2025

Lobbying reform bill sent to rules amid extended floor remarks on transparency

Senate unanimously passes Cohen Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act, creates safety committee and grant program

Senate approves bill criminalizing mailed abortifacients after heated debate