The Senate Finance Committee reported, as amended, a committee substitute for House Bill 2960 that would permit the West Virginia Division of Highways to contract snow removal on secondary roads during a pilot program limited to Monongalia and Preston counties.

The bill sets four priority levels: priority 1 (interstate, expressways, National Highway System routes and U.S./West Virginia routes, including certain high-traffic county roads); priority 2 (school bus routes); priority 3 (other non-park and forest roads); and priority 4 (park and forest routes). Counsel explained the strike-and-insert amendment removes an earlier provision that would have prevented snow removal on lower-priority roads until all priority 1 routes were cleared.

The bill forbids vendors from receiving legal immunity for damage caused, allows the commissioner to terminate a contractor with 30 days' notice for unsatisfactory performance, and limits the pilot to the two named counties with the Division of Highways able to select which roads are included. Counsel noted the House passed the measure 50–48–2.

Delegate David McCormick, the bill's sponsor, described manpower shortages at the Division of Highways, saying "it's a labor problem" and citing higher private-sector pay for CDL drivers. McCormick recounted a January crash near Cheat Lake that prompted his drafting of the measure and said schools were interested because the pilot targets bus routes. Several senators asked about fiscal impact; counsel said there was no fiscal note available in the system that day and that the Division could use funds within its existing appropriation to contract services. The vice chair moved the committee substitute as amended be reported to the full Senate with recommendation that it do pass; the motion passed by voice vote.