Senate Military Committee advances four bills on military records, veterans incentives and tuition waivers to full Senate

The West Virginia Senate Military Committee on Jan. 1 advanced four bills to the full Senate, moving a measure to exempt sensitive military records from public release and three bills that expand veteran benefits and tax incentives.

Lincoln Wolf, counsel to the committee, said Senate Bill 103’s “purpose of the bill is to protect sensitive military information from public disclosure,” describing a proposed new code section (15-1B-28) that would exempt records related to national security, terrorist threats and certain deployment plans from the state Freedom of Information Act.

The committee also voted to move three veteran-focused bills toward final consideration: Senate Bill 144 would broaden the existing Military Incentive Program (originally limited by statute to disabled and certain economically disadvantaged veterans) to cover most veterans, National Guard members and U.S. reserve forces and would permit employers who retain eligible veterans for at least one year to claim a tax credit equal to 30% of that employee’s wage base. Workforce West Virginia would administer the expanded program, and the bill authorizes rulemaking.

Senate Bill 149 would extend tuition and fee waivers at state higher-education institutions to a wider group of service members, including National Guard and reserve personnel, living service members rated 90% or greater by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or those meeting individual unemployability criteria related to post-9/11 service; the bill also makes waivers available to spouses and dependent children of certain service members. Counsel said the bill’s provisions would take effect July 1 of this year.

Senate Bill 429 would create a one-time, nonrefundable tax credit covering up to half the cost of a lifetime hunting or fishing license issued by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources for eligible veterans. Counsel noted the bill’s short title had previously referenced disabled veterans but that the text applies to all veterans; clerks will clean the title after passage.

Committee members had limited debate on the bills. Committee leadership repeatedly noted that the three veteran-benefit proposals are double-referenced to the Senate Finance Committee so fiscal notes can be prepared and considered there before final action.

Votes at a glance

- SB 103 — Exempt certain military records from public release: Committee report recommending passage approved (moved by the Junior Senator from the Fifth); referred to full Senate. - SB 144 — Expand Military Incentive Program and employer tax credit (30% of wage base): Committee report recommending passage approved (moved by the Junior Senator from the Fifth); additionally referred to Finance under double reference. - SB 149 — Broaden tuition/fee waivers for service members, spouses, dependents; effective July 1: Committee substitute adopted and reported with recommendation to pass (moved by the Junior Senator from the Fifth); additionally referred to Finance under double reference. - SB 429 — One-time tax credit covering up to half of lifetime hunting/fishing license cost for veterans: Committee substitute adopted and reported with recommendation to pass (moved by the Junior Senator from the Fifth); additionally referred to Finance under double reference.

The committee took the actions as part of its inaugural organizational meeting and then adjourned. Committee staff noted fiscal notes for the finance-referred bills had not yet been completed; the bills move next to the Finance Committee for fiscal review and then to the full Senate.