[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6301733,"mediaKeyId","2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0","parentId",2485862,"title","Committee approves substitute for bill requiring behavioral assessments, interim supports for K–6 students","audioSeconds",1316,"startMs",1249000,"endMs",2565000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0&start=1249&end=2565","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0/thumbnail_1249000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6301733/West-Virginia/Committee-approves-substitute-for-bill-requiring-behavioral-assessments-interim-supports-for-K6-students","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301733-f1bf792e3b415c22960e03b33ca17839/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450892&Signature=nL1RvSzgJ441BGScUW8YN-AYrvnGUS9uCKc7VYCR0Ood~YOQMhQMnbubanFl86uXOmsdhnSLnrGI9zeSw1jr2TdDK-C18rSC~4NYaPQ3aHBq2CSsFdndRSuQLhyTxRPbyXNlkfc-eYPe~zzJN7Tm1H~2~71pKYKdRUHocurAW5i9axsTc25CZZepZCa8cZ~GdiIDXR5k76q6pNzwIcLauDIGDhz~p1RWSk-BCZKdHx7xXr1TMc3jMFZzycvL0XdhYcdEpG7M-gBF4lJWIdlBPIu~Dmt1fGcXtVGyC0e9owUm-OjA~7BopEEtkjrEbz5VorNPX0uo0rmbGiqmKhUSrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Virginia Legislature","date","2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","article","A Senate committee voted to agree to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 199 that requires kindergarten through sixth-grade students exhibiting violent, threatening or intimidating behavior to be referred to a school counselor, school social worker or school psychologist for a functional behavioral assessment and prioritized, evidence-based interventions.

The substitute, explained to the committee by committee counsel Hank, would require an initial behavioral plan to be followed for two weeks and reevaluated; if the student does not show adequate progress, school leaders and the behavioral professional would determine whether to amend the plan. If a first amendment fails after another two-week period, the bill directs placement in a county behavioral intervention program or with a licensed behavioral health agency the county can access, or removal from the classroom and suspension while alternative learning accommodations are made.

The committee substitute also sets procedures for immediate steps after an incident: if a county lacks access to a behavioral intervention program, the student must be removed from the classroom after the incident, kept separate from other students for the rest of the school day, and parents must be notified to pick the student up by day’s end; if a student must ride the bus home, the bill requires the principal, vice principal or a designee to supervise that trip. The substitute provides for suspensions of one to three school days while alternate instruction is arranged and allows virtual-school or homebound options. A student with an IEP must be referred immediately to the appropriate team (Student Assistance Team, Section 504 team or IEP team), and the substitute includes an explicit statement that nothing in the section is intended to conflict with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504.

If a removed student is to return, the substitute requires a risk assessment before return; any provisional return would last five to ten school days, and repeated incidents within that period could trigger ordinary expulsion procedures. The substitute directs the State Board to promulgate a statewide disciplinary policy but allows counties or schools with behavior interventionists to apply for a waiver if they show continued positive educational progress under their existing policies.

Committee members extensively questioned operational details, including who must conduct the bus supervision, whether counties uniformly employ school psychologists to complete risk assessments, the time frame for completing county-level risk assessments, whether counties would be required to establish brick-and-mortar alternative learning centers, and whether the bill created unfunded mandates. Counsel said the bill does not require a county to build facilities and that counties could cooperate with neighboring districts or use virtual/homebound options. Counsel and senators also confirmed the bill permits referral for functional behavioral analysis under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act when appropriate.

Senators voiced both concern and support. The senator identified as the Senior Senator from the Thirteenth said the bill addresses violent behavior that has injured educators and disrupts learning, and praised what she described as the chair’s persistence on the issue; she said she expects the policy to help classrooms and hoped for positive results in a few years. Other senators said the substitute is an imperfect but necessary first step that gives educators new tools while acknowledging a need for more behavioral interventionists and funding. The sponsor and committee counsel said counties must complete short-term risk assessments within the suspension window (one to three days) to avoid keeping students out of school longer than necessary.

The committee agreed to the committee substitute by voice vote; the chair declared, “the ayes have it. I declare the motion adopted and the committee substitute has been agreed to.” The vice chair then moved that the committee report the substitute to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass; that motion was also adopted by voice vote.

The bill text as explained to the committee contains several timing and procedural benchmarks (two-week review cycles for behavioral plans; one to three days of suspension while alternate instruction is set up; a five- to ten-day provisional return period after risk assessment). The substitute also leaves some implementation details to districts and county boards (for example, how exactly risk assessments are staffed and the process a county uses to access behavioral intervention programs).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WV Senate Education Committee in Session Mar 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Senate committee voted to agree to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 199 that requires kindergarten through sixth-grade students exhibiting violent, threatening or intimidating behavior to be referred to a school counselor, school social worker or school psychologist for a functional behavioral assessment and prioritized, evidence-based interventions.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature WV, West Virginia","taxId",77714,"location","West Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6301728,"Committee adopts substitute making county surveys and food-resource distribution mandatory for non-school days",340,2580000,2920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0&start=2580&end=2920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0/thumbnail_2580000.jpg","/articles/6301728/West-Virginia/Committee-adopts-substitute-making-county-surveys-and-food-resource-distribution-mandatory-for-non-school-days","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301728-411414ebfa7bfdc67039003902cad3ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450892&Signature=FEw0MkH1RgnbTpoteDpp-3zQTJM2hMZkMN0rK45gFrx0Uy9F8FJsEA-5zrPRgDDrVUmRij3Q-sZ7uUHF4SIFrXOYP1OkXZJgfABS~uVOb1DQyn~rNaQdQf1JShQ-IxHFCi8M7w4o7AZLOIS99aJY2E2GrgaECugqrRmOQ7mo9QaHM0rJ5Nx3wlmKIy5YyWuBjKE8Yfiu6jReBUpfNf23THAC7dEUPrQijSZTwg3kOY4u71OMCIpnUwiY2Xnw7u8RVd83CQvI6bqt5vyPxUKb4epQjZXXkfYHzBRh-46cXP4HDJ~ySEhnAP-dFPP4DOWMy5ksWvjpRZwB6jp5cTfkpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 155 that converts several county-level authorities regarding non-school feeding into requirements, and the committee voted to report the substitute to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass and with a referral under the original double committee reference to the Finance Committee.

Committee counsel Hank told members the substitute turns three county board authorities into duties: (1) conduct an annual countywide survey of public school students to confirm non-school eating patterns and availability of nutritious food when schools are closed; (2) collect and compile information about availability of food resources in the county during non-school days and distribute that information to students; and (3) provide the county’s survey, a summary of activities, findings or recommendations to the state. Counsel also said the substitute removes language that allowed schools to include feeding plans for emergency nontraditional or remote-learning days in crisis response plans.

Senators asked how the survey would be conducted and whether it would require counties to create lists identifying individual families. Counsel said the statutory language could be interpreted to require identification of students who may need assistance but noted the substitute does not specify the method; he also said the West Virginia Office of Child Nutrition would assist and facilitate the survey. The committee discussed whether families could opt out; counsel said the substitute’s language is not specific about opt-out procedures and that one plausible interpretation would be a countywide percentage survey rather than individually identifying families.

A senator from Wetzel asked what would happen after a list or information is compiled; counsel said the county would compile availability information and distribute it to students and could also facilitate connections between families and food providers but the substitute does not compel counties to supply food directly. The substitute requires distribution of information and facilitation of connections but does not impose an explicit duty to provide meals; committee members noted the bill aims to improve awareness and coordination rather than create a new entitlement to meals.

The committee agreed to the substitute by voice vote; the chair declared the ayes have it and said the substitute had been agreed to. The vice chair then moved that the committee report the substitute for Senate Bill 155 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass, under the original double committee reference first to the Finance Committee; that motion passed by voice vote.

Key implementation clarifications discussed in committee: the West Virginia Office of Child Nutrition will assist counties in conducting surveys; the substitute requires counties to distribute compiled resource information to students (and could target distribution to those identified as in need), but it does not mandate that counties directly provide food or establish meal programs beyond existing child-nutrition operations.","A Senate committee adopted a substitute for Senate Bill 155 that turns county-level authorities on non-school feeding into requirements: annual countywide surveys of non-school nutritious food needs, compiling and distributing food-resource information, and reporting findings to the state.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6301723,"Committee agrees to tuition-assistance substitute for certified law enforcement officers, with eligibility and appropriation limits",412,2953000,3365000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0&start=2953&end=3365","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2485862-a567652e4da88eee425e72205c7649e0/thumbnail_2953000.jpg","/articles/6301723/West-Virginia/Committee-agrees-to-tuition-assistance-substitute-for-certified-law-enforcement-officers-with-eligibility-and-appropriation-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301723-ef8bcbf3bd89f5174aa9e1c539eb5f23/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450892&Signature=TZ022dgyVc3wklUIncTVYJw1UkySCuARAnp4N4emRkhzzsuiElM96z4Dm4mJfYwuJX0-3ulmvcw~v-S6Ld011F-K9pdnC-JiID-Hb2DeLTHbbbiT9vgz~azGddTsygdiKhMUuaeygTStaiBcobektht-Ar7qJC9IKGvajezOiGR1FehbpdSuWhdwCCS-WLj50oHdxYAAwOH5Py6NBWMsRC~3dzH-jUolait4yOBo0W65D9ROKzv8f7zrT2yQaG7pJCDd4vtoXhti8CnLFRF74y6yfY2GIqj3gTg74cuULeWpNsx2nrfAwFd9bsqN8DDucSG5UJlQvYGy3PIiJyY6MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 566 that would allow certified law enforcement officers enrolled in accredited West Virginia colleges, community and technical colleges, universities or approved career, technical or aviation schools to receive payment of tuition and fees for certain programs, subject to eligibility criteria prescribed by the Secretary of Homeland Security and subject to appropriation.

Committee counsel Hank told members the substitute permits payment for a certificate, an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree (the text was read as allowing payment for one certificate, one undergraduate degree and one master’s degree) and limits payment for doctorate degrees to not more than two certified law enforcement officers per year. Payment for officers attending state-supported schools is limited to the actual cost of tuition and fees at the school; for private schools, payment is limited to the highest amount payable at any state-supported school in West Virginia. Counsel said the Secretary of Homeland Security (as named in the substitute) will prescribe eligibility criteria and administer the payments, and that the substitute reduces payments when recipients are eligible for other state or federal grants or scholarships (a “last dollar” intent). The substitute also allows prorated repayment of funds if a recipient completes only a portion of required service.

Committee members asked about logistics and scope. The senator identified in the transcript as the Senator from Greenbrier asked whether officers could continue from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree under the program; counsel said the substitute was intended to allow payment for a master’s in addition to an undergraduate degree. Counsel and senators also confirmed the secretary’s rules would likely set application procedures and eligibility details. Members noted the provision is intended to aid recruitment and professional development in law enforcement.

The committee agreed to the committee substitute by voice vote; the chair declared the ayes have it. The committee then voted to report the substitute to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass, and under the original double committee reference the matter will first be referred to the Finance Committee for review.","A committee substitute for Senate Bill 566 would allow certified law enforcement officers enrolled in accredited West Virginia institutions to receive payment of tuition and fees for specified credentials, subject to rules and appropriation limits; the committee adopted the substitute and reported it to the full Senate with a referral to Finance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves substitute for bill requiring behavioral assessments, interim supports for K–6 students

Committee adopts substitute making county surveys and food-resource distribution mandatory for non-school days

Committee agrees to tuition-assistance substitute for certified law enforcement officers, with eligibility and appropriation limits