Senate Finance Committee forwards several bills to full Senate, including DEI limits and school-safety measures

The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee reported committee substitutes and bills to the full Senate for several measures affecting schools, public-safety awards and local government contracting.

Committee action covered a proposed special license plate for Medal of Valor recipients, a student-athlete safety act that would require impact-reducing helmet covers during football practice, an increase in allowable nontraditional instruction days, expansion of cardiac emergency plans to elementary schools, a bill limiting certain long-term contracts by local fiscal bodies, and a proposal to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs in state agencies and public schools. All motions to report the measures to the full Senate were adopted by voice vote; the transcript records the chair declaring the ayes have it for each motion but does not provide numerical tallies.

Committee counsel summarized the proposed Medal of Valor plate, saying the bill would authorize the Division of Motor Vehicles to designate a special license plate for Medal of Valor recipients and their families, allow a surviving spouse to continue using the plate, permit a second plate for a second vehicle titled to the recipient, and allow the division to charge a one-time $10 fee for each plate. Counsel also said the proposed committee substitute would exempt recipients from the vehicle registration fee, consistent with other special plates.

On student-safety legislation, committee counsel described the Coincradic Student Athlete Safety Act as creating an advisory committee of nine members to evaluate safety rules, injury statistics and equipment,…