Senate Bill 312, which deals with the provisional licensure of social workers, passed the House of Delegates this morning (Thursday), and heads to the Governor’s desk. The bill, which the House did not amend, adds a section to the West Virginia Code on eligibility to be registered as a service worker for the Bureau for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Resources.

The bill passed 96-3, with Fleischauer, Pushkin and Rowe dissenting.

Another DHHR-related bill, House Bill 4581, passed the Senate 33-0. That bill includes DHHR employees in the West Virginia Clearance for Access: Registry and Employment Screening process. The Senate amended the bill, so it goes to the House for concurrence.

A bill we are helping lobby for, HB 4543, which would cap the co-pay on insulin for diabetes patients, is up for final passage Friday. The cap in the version that passed the House is $25 for a 30-day supply; a Senate committee has increased that to $100.

SB 291, requiring PEIA and health insurance providers provide mental health parity, is up for passage Friday in the House.

The status of other bills:

  • SB 616: Puts restrictions on representation in the public employee grievance process. It still has to clear the House Government Organization and Judiciary committees.
  • SB 820: Stipulates that “The Department of Health and Human Resources is authorized to transfer ownership of any land and buildings which it has owned, constructed, maintained, and leased to any comprehensive regional mental health center or comprehensive intellectual disability facility operated by a local nonprofit organization, if all the following conditions are satisfied.” Has passed House Health and Human Resources Committee; pending in House Finance.
  • SB 217: Requiring DHHR collaborate with Workforce Development Board and WV Division of Personnel for job placement. Passed Senate; in House Health and Human Resources Committee.
  • SB 339: Wide-ranging DHHR rules package that includes a section on social workers licensing. Passed and sent to governor.
  • HB 2497: Strengthening protections to whistleblowers, and those workers who are members of employee organizations. Signed into law.