Senate Finance Committee reports wide slate of bills to full Senate, including judicial raises, maternal health equipment and energy bill
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Summary
The Senate Finance Committee reported multiple committee substitutes and bills to the full Senate with recommendations to pass, covering topics from judicial pay raises and charter school facility access to Medicaid blood pressure devices for postpartum enrollees and the West Virginia First Energy Act.
CHARLESTON — The Senate Finance Committee on March 7 advanced a package of bills to the full Senate with recommendations that they pass, moving measures on judicial pay raises, county and local provisions, health‑care equipment coverage, licensing changes and energy policy.
Counsel described the measures and the committee adopted committee substitutes or the bills by voice vote and reported them to the full Senate. Highlights include:
- Senate Bill 29: Counsel said the bill would provide multi‑year pay raises for magistrates, circuit court judges, family court judges, intermediate appellate judges and Supreme Court justices effective 07/01/2027, with varying dollar increases and an offset proposal using a temporary employer contribution holiday into the judicial retirement system.
- Senate Bill 420 (West Virginia First Energy Act): Counsel said the act aims to restore electric rate stability through in‑state coal‑fired generation, preserve employment and investment in coal and natural gas industries, set a goal (rather than a mandate) for coal plants to maintain about 69% utilization with incentives tied to cost recovery, and require reporting and operational plans from utilities and regulators.
- Senate Bill 649: The bill would require the Bureau for Medical Services (Medicaid) to provide self‑measurement blood pressure devices, a second cuff and reimbursement for device and related services for Medicaid enrollees who are pregnant or within 12 months postpartum with a diagnosis of hypertension, pending a state plan amendment.
- Senate Bill 982: Creates a Neighborhood Access Road program to fund construction or improvement of public access roads serving residential neighborhoods, with minimum residential thresholds and a $750,000 per‑project annual funding cap and a 10‑year sunset; operation contingent on available funds was clarified in a committee substitute.
- Senate Bill 897: Establishes licensure and certification requirements for alcohol and drug counselors, including supervised practicum hours, work experience, testing and grandfathering provisions through 12/31/2026.
Other measures reported include bills concerning post‑crash testing in fatal crashes, sheriff commission thresholds for tax collection commissions, foster care rate rebasing and EMS retirement system inclusion for ambulance drivers. Committee counsel answered questions on statutory mechanics and fiscal notes where requested; most items were adopted or agreed to by voice vote with no recorded roll call in the committee transcript.
Votes at a glance: all items discussed during the hearing were reported to the full Senate with the committee's recommendation that they pass, except for one amendment (to SB 587) that failed during committee debate.
The next step for each bill is scheduling and consideration on the Senate floor.
