Senate adopts amendment and passes SB 155 easing annual criminal-history checks for adjunct teaching permits

The West Virginia Senate on the floor adopted a Senate amendment to the House amendment for Senate Bill 155, then concurred in the House amendment as amended and passed the bill.

Senator from Lewis moved the amendment and explained it "creates an exception to ensure that a criminal-history check isn't needed each year," saying the change "will allow [an] additional tool for county boards to use in filling vacancies, especially in shortage areas." After the chair declared the amendment adopted by voice vote, the Senate voted on passage. The machine tally on final passage was 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent; the presiding officer declared the bill passed.

The clerk earlier reported a communication from the House that the House had amended and passed SB 155; the Senate acted to consider and modify that House amendment on the floor. The Senate's action consisted of (1) adopting a Senate amendment to the House amendment and (2) concurring in the House amendment as amended, which produced final passage on the floor.

No roll-call vote listing individual senators' votes appears in the transcript; the announced tally was 33–0–1. The transcript does not specify the effective date or text of the final amendment beyond the floor explanation that it exempts an annual criminal-history check in specified circumstances. The Senate clerk will communicate the action to the House.

Next steps: the transcript records the formal passage and the clerk's announcement that the action would be sent to the House; the record does not show additional procedural steps taken on SB 155 during this session.