A sampling of bills introduced Feb. 12

February 12, 2019

CHARLESTON — Here is a sampling of bills introduced Feb. 12. Among them is the governor’s bill to fund PEIA. Monongalia-Preston-Marion-area lead sponsors and co-sponsors, if any, are noted. This was the last day to introduce House bills sponsored by members (committees may still originate bills). Feb. 18 will be the last day for the Senate. SB 576 and HB 3065, the Orphan Oil and Gas Well Prevention Act, requiring operators to pay “plugging assurance” money up front. Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker, lead sponsor; Sens. Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, Mike Maroney, R-Marshall, co-sponsors; ...

Trial for former WVU professor accused of sexual assault begins

February 12, 2019

MORGANTOWN — The trial for a former WVU professor accused of waking a woman up by sexually assaulting her began in Monongalia County Circuit Court on Tuesday. Joseph Baltimore was indicted for second-degree sexual assault by the January 2018 term of the Monongalia County grand jury. ...

Interstate weight limit resolution, water and sewer infrastructure grant fund bill clear Senate committee

February 12, 2019

CHARLESTON — The Senate Transportation and Infrastructure gave its thumbs-up on Tuesday to a resolution calling on Congress to raise interstate highway weight limits in the state, and a bill to create a grant fund for local water and sewer pipeline projects. Division of Highways ...

House Energy OKs two bills: One pro-industry, one pro-mineral owner

February 12, 2019

CHARLESTON — The House Energy Committee on Tuesday approved one bill to help natural gas mineral owners and another to help producers. HB 2866 aims to allow mineral owners to terminate inactive leases so they can sign new ones. HB 2834 would allow for tighter horizontal deep well spacing to account for technology vastly advanced since the rules were written in the 1980s. Lease bill HB 2866 is written in legalese. Boiling it down, a lessee (the oil and gas producer) has 90 days from the termination, expiration or cancellation of a lease to deliver to the mineral owner (the ...

Sunday liquor sales bill clears Senate Judiciary, heads to floor

February 12, 2019

CHARLESTON — Sunday liquor sales moved another step closer to reality on Tuesday. Senate Judiciary amended and approved HB 2481, the bill to permit Sunday liquor sales after 1 p.m. The Senate amendment wraps in a separate section of state code not included in the original that deals ...

Senate OKs anti-hazing bill for breakaway fraternities, bill to grant SNAP benefits to drug felons

February 12, 2019

CHARLESTON — A bill to apply state anti-hazing law to breakaway Greek organizations and one to grant SNAP benefits to nonviolent drug felons were among those that cleared the Senate on Tuesday. And in a floor speech, Sen. Bob Beach, D-Monongalia, urged senators to sign onto his ...