In somewhat of a surprise, a bill to discontinue operations at Jackie Withrow and Lakin hospitals, plus the John Manchin Senior Health care center is dead for this Legislative session. House Bill 4365 was not taken up in committee.

Sunday, February 27, was the last day for bills to clear committees in the chamber of origin; those bills that did not make it are dead.

With that, many bills we are following will not make it this session. That is the rule; most bills are not taken up in committee. Senate and House leadership decide what bills to bring up

Several bills are alive, and here they are:

  • Senate Bill 230, “Relating generally to public employees grievance system,” which attacks state workers’ rights in the grievance process. Among other things, the bill would require statements to be notarized and opens up workers to be charged for the state’s legal costs up to $1,000. Passed Senate 23-11 and has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.

HB 4344 “Relating to Foster Care” allows for a possible 20% pay raise for CPS workers, but the wide-ranging bill has some other items, potentially good or bad. Passed the House 99-1 and is in the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee.

HB 4252 “To reduce copay cap on insulin and devices” Reduces maximum copay on prescription insulin from $100 to $35, and sets a maximum copay for devices at $100 — great news for our members who are dealing with diabetes. Passed the House 94-3, and is in the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee.

These bills are dead for this session:

HB 4310 “Specifying when a public employee’s spouse may be covered by PEIA” If your spouse has access to non-PEIA healthcare, it would cause you to pay the full spouse premium, instead of “your share” plus the employer’s share of the spouse’s premium. So, where applicable, this could make the part you pay go up, or make it unfeasible to cover your spouse through PEIA. Referred to House Finance, has not yet been taken up.

HB 4453 “Fair Advancements for State Employees” would have affected increment pay and salary increases for state workers. Merit-based or performance-based pay increases would be used instead of across-the-board equal increases for workers.

HB 3124, permitting collective bargaining for public employees.

HB 3123, the “Family Leave Program” Would have allowed four weeks of paid employee leave in a 12-month period for reasons including: birth of a child; adoption of a child; care of a child, parent, spouse, or dependent with a serious health condition. 

SB 243, “Granting all public employees 10 percent per year permanent pay increase.,” In Senate Government Organization.

HB 2117, “Providing certain employees of the Highways increases in annual pay.”

HB 2142, “Establishing seniority rights for public employees.”

HB 3178, “Suspend state government pay if business is shut down due to a pandemic.”

The next important day is Wednesday, March 3. That’s when bills must be passed by their chamber of origin. That day is known as “crossover day.”

Full text and status of all introduced bills can be found by searching here.

Many other questions can be answered at wvlegislature.gov, but we may be able to help you more quickly.

Please … if you want to know how a bill stands or who your senator or delegate is, please contact us at i[email protected] or (304) 347-4396.