The Voice of Agriculture in the Mountain State
2024 Legislative Handbook
Would you like to become more involved in the legislative process but don’t know where to start? Well, look no further!
This 12 page guide will help you find your representative’s contact information, the committees upon which they serve, and will even give you tips on how to most effectively communicate with them. A must-have for every civic-minded voter.
Today in the Legislature
Legislative Action Report
Today in the Legislature is a daily synopsis of legislative activities maintained by the West Virginia Legislature’s Office
March 15, 2024
The 2024 West Virginia Legislative Session began on January 10. Governor Jim Justice, in his last state-of-the-state address, proposed a $5.52 billion budget, a 5-percent pay raise for teachers and state employees, the elimination of tax on Social Security income, and an expanded homestead property tax cut, as well as a number of other proposals.
The West Virginia Senate, under direction of President Craig Blair, began the second session of the 86th Legislature. Over 20 bills that passed the Senate last year but didn’t become law were read a first time for passage.
The House of Delegates was convened by Speaker Roger Hanshaw. House Resolutions 1 through 3 were passed for operation of the House.
Over 900 bills were submitted for consideration during the opening week. All committee assignments and legislation may be found at www.wvlegislature.gov.
All bills were deleted that failed to pass House of Origin by crossover day (February 28, 2024).
Updates in bold.
All bills were deleted that failed to pass House of Origin by crossover day (February 28, 2024).
The following bills were introduced during Week 1 (January 10-12) of the 60-day session. Those of interest to agricultural producers and rural West Virginians included:
SB 171 By Senators Hamilton, Smith, Taylor, Oliverio, Deeds, Swope, Rucker, Woodrum, Trump, and Jeffries. Purpose of bill is to prohibit county commissions from adopting ordinances and rules or other authorizations that exceed state law. Bill prohibits county commissions from adopting ordinances that prohibit state and federally registered pesticides. On second reading. Passed Full Senate. Ordered to the House. Sent to House Government Organization. Passed on first reading Full House. Passed Full House. Awaits Governor’s decision. Approved by Governor. Effective May 13, 2024. WVFB supports.
HB 4292 By Delegate Anderson. Bill provides enhanced damages for non-payment of royalties due under terms of lease or agreement within six months of due date equal to three times the market value plus reasonable attorney fees. (Similar bill SB 235 sent to subcommittee for review.) HB 4292 sent to Committee on Energy. Passed. Sent to House Judiciary. Passed on third reading Special Calendar. Passed Full House. Sent to Senate Energy. Passed as amended. Sent to Senate Finance. WVFB supports.
HB 4605 By Delegate Young. Bill establishes the Agricultural Right to Repair Act. It requires manufacturers of agricultural equipment to make available to owners and independent repair providers on fair and reasonable terms the parts and tools to diagnose, maintain, and repair the equipment. (Similar bill SB 306 sent to Rules Committee. On second reading Full Senate as amended. Sent to House Judiciary.) Sent to Agriculture & Natural Resources. Passed Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources. Sent to Full Senate. WVFB opposes due to previous MOU agreements with many manufacturers.
The following bills were introduced during Week 2 (January 15-19):
SB 429 By Senator Woodrum. Bill allows options for signage of farm use vehicle tag to both sides, front, or back of vehicles. Sent to Committee on Transportation. Passed on third reading Full Senate. Passed Full Senate. Sent to House Technology & Infrastructure. WVFB supports.
SB 494 By Senators Oliverio and Trump. Bill enacts Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act. Provides a mechanism for amending existing deeds by filing a document with the County Clerk which declares a discriminatory provision of a deed is void and doesn’t pass through the subsequent chain of title. Similar bill SB 4916. Sent to Government Organization. Passed. Sent to Senate Judiciary. Passed Full Senate. Ordered to the House. Sent to House Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
HB 4434 By Delegates Howell, Crouse, Horst, Ferrell, Barnhart, W. Clark, Phillips, Willis, Sheedy, Stephens, and Hite. Bill prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting sales of vehicles based on energy sources. Bill was amended to include tractors. Passed Technology Committee. Sent to Government Organization. Passed on first reading Special Calendar Full House. Passed Full House. Sent to Senate Transportation Committee. WVFB supports.
HB 4721 By Delegate Cooper. Bill requires land surveyors to offer to record maps/plats of measured parcels of land made by the surveyor. Sent to Political Subdivisions. Passed. Sent to House Government Organization. Passed Full House. Communicated to Senate. Sent to Senate Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
HB 4911 By Delegates Hornby and Summers. Bill legalizes the sale of raw milk. Sent to Agriculture & Natural Resources. Passed on second reading Special Calendar. Passed Full House. Sent to Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources. Sent to Senate Judiciary. WVFB opposes.
The following bills were introduced during Week 3 (January 22-26):
HB 4754 By Delegate Criss. Bill exempts 6 percent service tax on processing of beef, pork, and lamb by a slaughterhouse for owner of processed product. (Similar bill SB 617 passed Senate Agriculture. Sent to Finance.) Sent to Agriculture & Natural Resources. Passed as amended. Sent to House Finance. Passed Full House. Communicated to Senate. Sent to Senate Finance. WVFB supports.
HB 5013 By Delegates Hillenbrand, Thorne, Miller, Horst, Hornby, Adkins, Mazzochi, Dittman, Ward, Lucas, and Hott. Purpose of bill is to amend managed timberland to include certain parcels of land within subdivisions as long as they are managed for timber production. Sent to Energy. Passed on second reading Special Calendar. Passed Full House. Sent to Senate Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
The following bills were introduced during Week 4 (January 29-February 2):
HB 5294 By Delegates Clark, Espinosa, Howell, Hardy, Horst, Dittman, Miller, Householder, Hite, Crouse, and Hornby. Bill revises and updates Code relating to farm wineries. Establishes permitted activity for Class I, II, III, and IV wineries. Sent to Economic Development. Passed on third reading Special Calendar. Passed Full House. Sent to Senate Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
HB 5349 By Delegates Thorne, Hillenbrand, Horst, Hornby, and Hite. Bill establishes West Virginia Truth in Labeling Act. Defines cell culture lab-grown product, analogue product, and other items and requires clear labeling of cell culture products. Sent to Agriculture & Natural Resources. Passed. Sent to House Health Committee. On first reading Special Calendar. Sent to Senate Judiciary. WVFB supports.
The following bill was introduced during Week 5 (February 5-9):
SB 690 By Senators Rucker, Barrett, Chapman, Clements, Deeds, Hamilton, Hunt, Karnes, Martin, Queen, Roberts, Smith, Stuart, and Taylor. Bill establishes West Virginia Agritourism Commission to review and investigate our agricultural tourism and economic development. Includes seven-member group appointed by the governor. Sent to Economic Development. Passed as committee substitute on first reading Full Senate. Passed Full Senate. Ordered to House Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
The following bill was introduced during Week 6 (February 12-16):
SB 618 By Senator Woodrum. Bill authorizes Division of Forestry to administer a forest carbon exchange program. Sent to Government Organization. Passed. Sent to Senate Finance on second reading. Passed Full Senate. Sent to House Finance. WVFB opposes.
The following bills were introduced during Week 7 (February 19-23):
SB 802 By Senators Hamilton, Caputo, Deeds, Hunt, Karnes, Martin, Plymale, Stevens, Swope, Taylor, and Woelfel. Bill amends lemon law for farm equipment to include equipment 20 horsepower or greater for vehicles as defined in 46A-6A-2 of West Virginia Code. Passed Full Senate. Ordered to House. On second reading Full House. WVFB supports.
SB 858 By Senator Trump. Bill clarifies how taxpayers appeal reconsideration of property values with county assessors. Bill further clarifies process for written petitions in certain instances before seeking an appeal at the Office of Tax Appeals. Passed Senate Government Organization. On first reading Full Senate. Passed Full Senate. Sent to House Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
