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Local Government

‘Crime in parking lot is crime in building’

CHARLESTON — The full House of Delegates will consider opening up public and school libraries to felony charges for the display or dissemination of obscene material to minors. The House Judiciary Committee, after a couple of weeks of delayed action on the bill, voted 21-3 to advance the bill after about two and a half hours of discussion. The sponsor of the bill, Delegate Brandon Steele, made closing remarks in the committee to characterize the policy as a bulwark against pedophilia. His voice rising, Steele said, “What I hope the chilling effect is of this legislation is ...

A sampling of bills introduced Monday, Feb. 12

MORGANTOWN — Here is a sampling of bills introduced Monday, Feb. 12. Local sponsors and co-sponsors are noted. SB 744, to prohibit civil rights violations based on disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. SB 745, to limit the price of prescription drugs to West Virginians ...

Amendment to broaden Women’s Bill of Rights mostly whittled away

CHARLESTON — The Women’s Bill of Rights, as introduced at the West Virginia Legislature, would codify the definitions of “man” and “woman” while assuring availability of single-sex spaces like restrooms and locker rooms. Democrats in the House of Delegates offered an amendment to sub in a different, broader set of rights: removing a tax on feminine hygiene products, providing free access to feminine hygiene products to all women in jails, requiring implicit bias training for perinatal healthcare professionals, pushing for pay equity, making clear adults have the right to ...

Manchin frustrated over blocked border bill

CHARLESTON — Sen. Joe Manchin says he is incredibly discouraged over the failure of a border security package that had been negotiated by a bipartisan group of his colleagues. “Everything in this bill made the border a lot safer and helped us be able to control that border than what we have today,” Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a call with West Virginia reporters Thursday. “And if you’re playing politics with everything you do in your life, that’s the safest thing you can do is a no vote because you don’t have to explain it a whole lot. Someone’s always mad about ...

House jails committee approves bill creating ombudsman to investigate jail complaints

CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates is advancing a bill that would create an ombudsman program in the state’s Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. According to HB 5358, the ombudsman would work in the Office of the Inspector General in DCR and review complaints against a state agency or correctional facility. The staff attorney for the House Jails and Prison Committee told committee meetings Thursday the agency currently has an assistant commissioner that reviews grievances. The bill would create a further review option. “This would be an independent person that ...