Senate Finance Committee advances package of bills, including dementia services director and judicial pay changes

The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee advanced multiple bills on a range of policy areas, including establishment of a full-time dementia services director in the Department of Human Services, pay increases and retirement adjustments for judges, a grant program for ibogaine drug trials, and changes to compensation for court-appointed attorneys.

Committee counsel summarized each bill for members and the panel voted to report the measures to the full Senate. Several items drew only brief committee discussion and were advanced by voice vote; House Bill 25-75, which would create a full-time dementia services director, drew public testimony and a longer discussion.

House Bill 25-75: dementia services director Committee counsel explained that House Bill 25-75 would establish a permanent, full-time dementia services director within the Department of Human Services to coordinate implementation of West Virginia’s Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia plan. Committee counsel said the coordinator’s duties would include evaluating and coordinating dementia services across state government, identifying duplicate programs and gaps, and compiling an annual report on the department’s website. The committee adopted a technical amendment from the House Health and Human Resources Committee before voting to report the bill as amended.

Sharon Covert, identified herself as a member of the task force and executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association West Virginia chapter, told members: “This is the first recommendation from the task force. The reason for this recommendation is the task force or the, plan that was put in place for the state, the dementia plan, in 2011 has not been acted on. It has sat for 14, 15 years because no 1 owns it at the state level.” Covert also summarized estimates discussed by the association about the number of West Virginians…