Senate Finance Committee reports multiple measures — homestead change, health and education funding among items sent to full Senate
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Summary
The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee voted to report multiple committee substitutes and bills — including a homestead exemption increase and related code changes, a higher-education supplemental appropriation, provider-tax eligibility changes for psychiatric hospitals, and program funding changes — sending them to the full Senate with recommendations.
The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee met and, by voice votes, reported several committee substitutes and bills to the full Senate with recommendations for passage.
The committee approved a strike-and-insert amendment to a supplemental appropriation (referred to in the record as House Bill "56 82") that creates a new current expenses surplus appropriation in the Higher Education Policy Commission control account and directs funds to medical education programs. Counsel told the committee the funding would direct $30,000,000 to Marshall UniversitySchool of Medicine, $5,000,000 to West Virginia University Dental School, $32,000,000 to West Virginia University School of Medicine and $5,000,000 to West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Vice Chairman moved the bill as amended be reported to the full Senate; the motion carried by voice vote.
The committee adopted and voted to report the committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 8, a proposed constitutional amendment adjusting eligibility for county sheriffs appointed to fill terms so that appointees with less than two years remaining would be eligible to run for the next two consecutive elected terms.
The committee approved the committee substitute for Senate Bill 1,060, which defines a "West Virginia certified thoroughbred," changes certain breeding requirements for futurity races, and adjusts purse distribution rules and related license fund distributions; counsel said there was no fiscal impact and the substitute will be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.
Lawmakers also adopted a committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 9, a proposed constitutional amendment to add a requirement that voters in state elections be U.S. citizens; after brief clarification, the substitute was adopted and will be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation for adoption.
On a closely related set of measures, the committee approved a committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 11 to raise the homestead exemption (as discussed in committee, the substitute increased the constitutional minimum to $40,000) and reported it to the full Senate with recommendation for adoption. Counsel then explained the companion legislation, Senate Bill 144, which would raise the statutory homestead exemption to $40,000 for qualifying residents (two years' residency and age 65 or totally disabled) and repeal the excess levy rollback. Counsel presented a fiscal note that estimated an initial revenue loss of roughly $44,000,000 annually; the committee adopted the substitute and voted to report it.
The committee voted to report Senate Bill 650, which would expand the definition of "eligible hospital" for provider-tax purposes to include certain licensed psychiatric hospitals (counsel described a threshold tied to the share of court-ordered forensic and involuntary commitments) and to add state hospitals to eligible facilities. Senators discussed Highland Clarksburg as an example and debated whether the 95% threshold should be reduced to 90% for flexibility; the motion to report carried.
Finally, the committee approved a committee substitute for Senate Bill 805 to expand permissible uses of the West Virginia "mothers and babies pregnancy support program" funds to cover expenditures associated with abortion pills used as part of chemical abortions and for reversal of the chemical abortion pill; the substitute was reported to the full Senate with recommendation to pass.
All committee approvals reported in the hearing were by voice vote; the chair declared the ayes had it in each instance. The meeting adjourned after the vice chairman moved to close the session.
Votes at a glance (committee action): - House Bill "56 82" (supplemental appropriation to higher education) : amendment adopted; reported as amended to full Senate (motion by Vice chairman). - Senate Joint Resolution 8 (sheriff succession constitutional amendment) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate. - Senate Bill 1,060 (thoroughbred certification/racing) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate. - Senate Joint Resolution 9 (U.S. citizenship requirement for state voters) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate. - Senate Joint Resolution 11 (homestead exemption constitutional amendment) : committee substitute adopted (committee substitute in committee raised minimum to $40,000); reported to full Senate. - Senate Bill 144 (statutory companion to SJR 11; raises homestead exemption, repeals rollback) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate. Counsel presented a fiscal note estimating ~ $44,000,000 annual revenue loss (see full record for line-item figures). - Senate Bill 650 (provider-tax eligibility changes) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate. - Senate Bill 805 (mothers and babies program funding uses) : committee substitute adopted; reported to full Senate.
Next steps: Each measure reported by the committee is expected to be scheduled for consideration by the full Senate according to the Senate calendar and procedures.
(Attributions: quotes and motions in this article are taken from the committee hearing transcript; voice votes were recorded with the chair declaring "the ayes have it." The vice chairman repeatedly moved bills be reported to the full Senate.)
