[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6075895,"mediaKeyId","2978698-f9f11f03cdc828b1bef831395bd3150e","parentId",2978698,"title","Senate concurs in multiple House amendments, passes a string of bills including budget and utility coordination measures","audioSeconds",888,"startMs",2382000,"endMs",3270000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978698-f9f11f03cdc828b1bef831395bd3150e&start=2382&end=3270","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978698-f9f11f03cdc828b1bef831395bd3150e/thumbnail_2382000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6075895/West-Virginia/Senate-concurs-in-multiple-House-amendments-passes-a-string-of-bills-including-budget-and-utility-coordination-measures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075895-c6fdc58cb399518dcdcf1d5dcac912dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770307474&Signature=L8VqDQie8f7b7AtOOEIX73~5AdVWwd80tu7vqB-5c-pIuerwDEp9a7MLWbK7RqYmVLks9hMMttg29O~YlV5ZPRI~RS5tF8SBpG40pDwg62UhEvMum50ww7txM69gmtmXCqZ1RtXrAha0cIUTyrERWdU9O0Oe21bCLIpXjHVf7R4m5Id9pVzpweK9HClTqBQRRDGsMO13gi2nczb3NCYv2a0RUi3abDmpFTj1GtPEhSefC1-bYYBBVm7btPud4DTHTV-5wK3KkbpOpPvyDEK1BgNJV2BoI5Od5QMTzvIXtjUAILR~B6gN~lU3bC4V7lFKXrh2OTzAEN~uGz4fBJMBCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Virginia Legislature","date","2025-04-11T00:00:00Z","article","The West Virginia Senate on the floor concurred in multiple House amendments and passed a series of bills including the budget amendment (House Bill 2026), a utility work and road paving coordination measure (Senate Bill 1), and other bills addressing rail modernization, substance use disorder testing, executive branch reorganization and several appropriation and criminal‑law measures.

Senator from Lewis (name not specified) moved concurrence on many of the House amendments before the Senate and spoke to the changes in each case; the clerk then reported recorded votes for final passage or concurrence. The chamber adopted the amendments and passed the listed bills by the recorded tallies shown below.

Votes at a glance (selected items from the transcript):

- House Bill 2026 (budget bill): Senate concurred in House amendments; final passage recorded 31 yays, 1 nay, 2 absent. The Senate later voted to make the bill effective from passage by a vote of 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent.

- Senate Bill 1 (utility work and road paving coordination): Senate concurred in the House amendment that requires utilities to submit a two‑year schedule of projects to the Department of Highways and adds reporting penalties; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent.

- Senate Bill 722 (West Virginia Short Line Railroad Modernization Act): Senate concurred in the House amendment clarifying the sunset date; final passage recorded 31 yays, 1 nay, 2 absent.

- Senate Bill 939 (testing guidelines for medication‑assisted treatment facilities): Senate amended the House amendment and concurred; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent. The Senate also voted to make the bill effective from passage (32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent).

- House Bill 2008 and House Bill 2009 (executive branch reorganizations): The Senate concurred in House amendments to reorganization measures; each passed the Senate and both were later set to take effect July 1, 2025 (effective‑vote tallies reported as 30 ayes, 2 nays, 2 absent for the enactment votes recorded on the floor).

- House Bill 2011 (supplemental appropriation authority): The Senate concurred in the House amendment to the Senate amendment; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent, and the Senate declared the bill effective from passage.

- House Bill 2434 (\"Stop Squatters Act\"): The House amendment was concurred in by the Senate; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent.

- House Bill 2871 (negligent homicide amendment): The Senate concurred in the House amendment; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent.

- House Bill 2960 (allows Division of Highways to contract snow removal on specified secondary roads): The Senate concurred and passed the amendment; final passage recorded 32 yays, 0 nays, 2 absent.

Most motions to concur were presented by the senator representing Lewis (Senator from Lewis), who explained the scope of the House amendments before the roll calls. Where the transcript reported title amendments, the chamber adopted those by voice vote or unanimous consent before recorded passage votes.

For the bills above, the Senate’s actions were primarily concurrence in House amendments or adoption of House amendments to Senate language; the transcript records vote tallies and the presiding officer’s declarations of passage.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate in Session Apr 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","In a series of concurrence motions and passage votes, the West Virginia Senate approved the budget amendment, utility/road coordination rule, and numerous other bills. Several measures were made effective immediately or scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025.","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},6075900,"Senate approves bill creating microgrid program to attract data centers after hours of debate",884,208000,1092000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2978698-f9f11f03cdc828b1bef831395bd3150e&start=208&end=1092","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2978698-f9f11f03cdc828b1bef831395bd3150e/thumbnail_208000.jpg","/articles/6075900/West-Virginia/Senate-approves-bill-creating-microgrid-program-to-attract-data-centers-after-hours-of-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6075900-4ecffc7044f3379438272b45fce44c62/orig.mp4?Expires=1770307474&Signature=mdlPQbXlkKs~WWc7BTSni3pXnPw7m7mM6F~yoSAY1plSQ1yiIfpuW0cvpZ7aBx7h5KPTvTrGW00oLItdtBXYtolsS6wtEuC4mXk2upckDw-49eW6vOWvqEo5Cd-~t2U~N6TLp61CQ161skzeszxwsgz-oDWhFR51EAckBT~PmD1QAJzLjeGpZOxHd9Cy7QcGKe4qBICHB0hzH5Af5wpskoQ1l11UIPZ15usMtWrHMGgQY9KZBoach4SqWe4MeTr7eZOIuRdZW4g5EIXbn3PPi9Q-hRydH3vLKRd7hb~lQuaHv4VgP-Hr07~txFFs~ZmevLvgTcXIfjBzZySpEofRSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Virginia Senate passed House Bill 2014, a measure creating a microgrid program intended to attract data centers and related high‑tech investment to the state, by a recorded vote of 32 yays, 1 nay and 1 absent.

Senior Senator from the eighth (name not specified), who spoke in favor on the floor, said the measure “is a very important bill” that “creates a micro bridal program” and “is a tool that we can use to be able to attract these data centers.” He urged passage and said the bill includes protections intended to ensure “the West Virginia taxpayer does not pay for any of the construction. None of the construction.”

Senator from Logan (name not specified) opposed the measure primarily on cost and rate‑payer concerns. “Ma’am, I can’t afford it. Bottom line, ma’am, I can’t afford it,” he said, warning of a potential deregulatory shift and describing worries about fixed costs remaining on the grid if microgrids proliferate. He noted the bill would allow microgrids to “sell back up to 10% back to the grid,” and said there was “no cap on micro grids” in the bill. He also cited local economic shifts—declines in coal employment and generation capacity—to explain sensitivity to utility costs among his constituents.

Senator from Harrison (name not specified) framed the bill as an economic opportunity for the state’s energy and technology sectors, listing likely new positions such as “data center engineers,” “grid technicians,” “cyber security analysts,” and other technical jobs. He said the bill “gives us the tools to grow” and argued it provides certainty to developers.

Junior senator from second (name not specified) asked for a Rule 43 judgment, noting a workplace conflict: the senator said they work for one of the two public electric utilities in the state and sought a ruling on whether they should vote. The chair ruled they are “a member of the class and be required to vote.”

On the floor, a committee amendment offered by the Committee on Economic Development was adopted before the final passage vote. The clerk later reported the machine vote on final passage as 32 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent; the presiding officer declared the bill passed.

The record shows lawmakers debated both the bill’s potential to attract investment and the possible short‑term effects on electricity customers who remain on traditional utility service. Lawmakers supporting the bill highlighted contractual protections that would place construction costs on developers; opponents said potential long‑term cost shifts to legacy ratepayers were not adequately addressed in the bill text as presented on the floor.

The bill moves next through statutory steps for enrollment and any executive consideration required by state law.

Votes at a glance: committee amendment adopted (voice vote), final passage recorded 32 yays, 1 nay, 1 absent.","The West Virginia Senate passed House Bill 2014, establishing a microgrid program designed to attract data centers and related industry, after lawmakers debated economic benefits and potential impacts to utility rates. The bill passed on a recorded vote, 32 yays, 1 nay, 1 absent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate concurs in multiple House amendments, passes a string of bills including budget and utility coordination measures

Senate approves bill creating microgrid program to attract data centers after hours of debate