Latest News, West Virginia Legislature

House Speaker Hanshaw to call members back into special session

MORGANTOWN – House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw announced late Friday afternoon that he will contact House members next week to call them back into session on Sept. 12 – corresponding with the regularly scheduled interim committee meetings.

The Senate and House had both adjourned their third special session on July 29, without resolution of HB 302, the bill to update state abortion law. The House had requested a conference committee of five to hash out differences on the bill – chiefly the details of exceptions for rape and incest, and criminal penalties for providers of illegal abortions.

The Senate adjourned before receiving that request.

Both houses adopted a resolution to adjourn until the call of their respective leaders.

Hanshaw said in Friday’s announcement that conference committee members must be announced during a session of the House of Delegates. Their meeting times, locations and meetings themselves are public information as those details are available. Other guidelines for disagreement and conference between the House and Senate may be found in the joint rules.

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