This Week at the Legislature: The Bills on the Governor’s Desk

BY: KATELYN CAMPBELL, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY VISTA, THE HUB

This week at the Legislature, we’re celebrating the community development bills that made it across the finish line and remembering the ones who just missed the mark. Of the 1778 bills introduced this Session, only 260 made it through both houses of the Legislature – some passing through with flying colors, and others dying at the last minute when time ran out.

At this point in the Session, any bills that have passed both houses must be evaluated by the Governor before they can become law. Check out our explainer on what three options the Governor has at his disposal here.

Note: At this point in the legislative process, the status of bills can change very quickly. The status of bills in this article is up to date as of 12:30PM on March 15, 2018. 

Bills that were Signed Into Law

So far, none of the community development bills we’ve been tracking have been signed into law, vetoed, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature.

Notable Bills Approaching the Finish Line 

SB 261: Transferring the Duties of the WV Affordable Housing Trust to the WV Housing Development Fund.

• This bill, if enacted, would do just what its title says — transfer the duties of the WV Affordable Housing Trust to the WV Housing Development Fund.
• This bill is currently awaiting evaluation by the Governor.

SB 313: Waiving Occupational Fees for Low Income People, Military Families, and Young Workers

• If enacted, this bill waives occupational fees for occupations regulated by Chapter 30 of the state code for certain low income people, military families, and workers under age 25.
• This bill is awaiting action by the Governor.

SB 365: Young Entrepreneur Reinvestment Act

• If enacted, this bill would make the Young Entrepreneur Reinvestment Act permanent. This means the Secretary of State’s office can continue to waive certain fees related to business registration for people under age 30.
• This bill is awaiting the Governor’s evaluation.

SB 412: The Power of County Litter Control Officers

• If enacted, this bill will allow litter control officers who are certified as law enforcement officials to exercise equal law enforcement authority to police officers when enforcing litter laws. This would be useful for counties who use litter control officers to support their code enforcement efforts.
• This bill is awaiting the Governor’s evaluation.

SB 475: Industrial Hemp

• If enacted this bill will allow the Commissioner of Agriculture to start an industrial hemp seed development program.
• This bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature.

SB 479: Local Government Monitoring Program

• If enacted, this bill would make the Auditor’s affordable local government auditing program permanent.
• This bill is awaiting evaluation by the Governor.

SB 612: Sale of Municipal Property

• If enacted, this bill would allow municipalities to use online auction services to sell real or personal property. County commissions already have this authority.
• This bill is awaiting evaluation by the Governor.

HB 4488: Hatfield-McCoy Trail Authority

• If enacted, this bill would add Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Nicholas, and Webster counties to the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Authority’s service area. The bill also outlaws all alcohol on the trails and adjusts the minimum age requirement for using the trail.
• This bill is awaiting evaluation by the Governor.

HB 4558: Creating the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment Fund

• If enacted, this bill would create an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment Fund in the Development Office. Money appropriated to this fund could be used to support the development of startups in the state.
• This bill is awaiting evaluation by the Governor.

Notable Bills that Fell Behind 

SB 59: Creating a fund to relieve Municipalities and Counties from fire-related clean up and demolition fees

• This bill would have added a small surcharge to fire insurance policies that would be pooled into a relief fund for municipalities and counties. This fund would have been available to cover the cost of cleanup on burned structures that did not have sufficient fire insurance.
• This bill never made it onto a committee agenda.

SB 278: Providing for disposition of vacated school buildings or other state-owned buildings

• This bill would have required the Public Land Corporation to develop and implement minimum standards for the potential reuse, renovation, or disposition of vacated school buildings or other state owned buildings that they acquire.
• This bill never made it onto a committee agenda.

SB 285: Establishing Regional Recreation Authorities and Areas

• This bill would have allowed groups of counties to get together to form Regional Recreation Authorities similar to the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Authority.
• This bill passed the Senate but never made it onto a House committee agenda.

SB 300: Tax Credits for Development on Post-Coal Mine Sites

• This bill would have created 5 year tax credits to incentivize development on former mine sites.
• The bill passed the Senate but never made it onto a committee agenda in the House.

SB 354: Creating a Special One Day License for Charitable Events to Purchase and Sell Beer and Craft Beer

• This bill would have made it easier for nonprofits to sell craft beer and other beer at fundraising events.
• The bill never made it onto its first committee agenda in the Senate.

SB 416: Noodling

• This bill would have legalized catching a catfish with one’s bare hands — otherwise known as noodling — in West Virginia.
• This bill passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee but never made it onto the Judiciary Committee’s agenda.

SB 432/HB 4158: Municipal Home Rule

• These two very similar bills would have made the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program permanent and would have expanded eligibility for the program to include nearly every municipality.
• The bills died at the last minute.

SB 508: Establishing State Trail Authority

• This bill would have created a State Trail Authority to coordinate all of the trail development that is currently in progress in West Virginia.
• The bill died in the House while it was waiting to be read on the floor.

SB 556: Creating a Minority Small Business Development Task Force

• If enacted, this bill would have created a task force to assist the Director of the state Economic Development Authority in addressing employment and economic development disparities for small business, low income, and minority populations in WV.
• This bill died at the last minute when the House ran out of time to concur with amendments made by the Senate on the last day of Session.

HB 4357: Small Wireless Facilities Deployment

• This bill would have given right of way to internet companies hoping to install small cell wireless stations around the state.
• The bill died once it reached the Senate.

HB 4431: Establishing the Mountaineer Trail Network Recreation Authority

• This bill would have created a Mountaineer Trail Network Recreation Authority designed to develop bike and hiking trails in the northern part of the state.
• This bill died after the Senate refused to concur with a title amendment offered by the House on the last day of Session.

HB 4605:  Assessment of Vacant Properties Owned by Out-Of-State Individuals

• This bill would have increased property tax assessments on vacant properties owned by out of state individuals by $4 per acre.
• This bill never made it onto any of its committees’ agendas.

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