West Virginia Senate receives committee reports, advances multiple bills to first reading

The West Virginia Senate received committee reports and advanced a slate of bills to first reading during a floor session, with several measures sent for additional committee review.

Committee chairs reported recommendations that committee substitutes “do pass” on a range of bills, and senators used unanimous-consent procedures to place many items on immediate consideration for first reading. Several measures carry an ‘‘original double committee reference’’ and were directed first to the Finance Committee or the Judiciary Committee for additional review.

Why it matters: the bills touch on a broad set of policy areas — from special-issue license plates and changes to school instruction rules to energy and mineral protections, elections, and public-safety provisions — and the Finance Committee will receive multiple measures for fiscal review.

Key committee reports and floor actions

- Committee on Finance (Jason Barrett, chair) reported a committee substitute for Senate Bill 464, creating a license plate for recipients of the Medal of Valor; the bill was placed on immediate consideration and read for the first time, and the clerk advanced the bill.

- A committee substitute for Senate Bill 474 (ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs) was reported and read for the first time and advanced.

- The Committee on Energy, Industry and Mining (Christopher A. Rose, chair) reported on Senate Bill 505, the “Ensuring Reliable and Affordable Electricity Act,” recommending the committee substitute do pass but noting the bill carried an original double committee reference and should first be referred to the Committee on Government Organization. On the floor, a senator requested that the second committee reference to Government Organization be dispensed with; the request was granted without recorded objection.

- The Committee on Rules (Randy E. Smith, chair ex officio) reported amendments to the…