CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on March 20, 2025 approved a group of bills the chamber described as addressing tax payments, municipal fire-fee protests, delinquent tax sales, retirement benefits for certain law-enforcement retirees, teledentistry practice rules and unemployment eligibility tied to drug testing.

The measures passed by recorded roll-call votes during the regular floor session and were sent to the House where required. Several bills were advanced with unanimous or near‑unanimous support; one bill passed on a divided vote.

SB 75 — Reverse 2014 net terminal income retention: The Senate passed Engrossed Senate Bill 75 on third reading by a roll-call vote of 25 yays and 9 nays. The Senate journal states the bill would reverse a prior 2014 change affecting a 10% distribution for net terminal income. The clerk prepared the machine, and after votes were tallied the president declared the bill passed.

SB 76 — Natural Resources Police retirement multiplier: The chamber approved Senate Bill 76, which raises the retirement benefit multiplier for members of the Natural Resources Police Officers Retirement System from 2.5% to 2.75% for members who retire on or after July 1, 2028. The bill also directs the Division of Natural Resources to contribute an additional $850,000 above the actuarially required amount each year for the next five fiscal years toward the amortized increase in unfunded accrued actuarial liability. The vote was 34 yays, 0 nays. (Senator from the Sixteenth explained the multiplier change on the floor and urged passage.)

SB 601 — Municipality fire-service fees and county protest rights: The Senate passed the committee substitute for Senate Bill 601 (relating to fees and charges for municipality-provided fire services) by a vote of 33 ayes and 1 nay. The bill, as explained on the floor, amends two sections of state code to allow county residents who would be charged a municipal fire fee to protest the imposition of that fee in the same manner as they may protest a county ordinance imposing a fire fee. It also prohibits simultaneous county and municipal fire fees from being imposed on the same county resident or business. The sponsor told colleagues that the protest mechanism mirrors existing code for county fire fees and that the petition process includes the same voter-signature thresholds described in statute.

SB 615 — Eliminate accelerated tax payment requirements for high‑volume businesses: Engrossed Senate Bill 615, introduced at the governor’s request, would end the practice of accelerated tax payments for high‑volume businesses (defined on the floor as businesses whose average monthly payment exceeds $100,000). Under current law these high‑volume taxpayers must make accelerated payments for certain taxes in June; the bill eliminates that requirement. The Senate approved the bill 34 yays, 0 nays, and later voted 34 yays, 0 nays to make the bill effective from passage (the journal records the two‑thirds threshold as met).

SB 683 — Delinquent property sales by the auditor: The engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 683, amending provisions related to sale of properties subject to delinquent tax liens, passed 34 yays, 0 nays. Floor remarks described multiple changes: moving the sheriff’s deadline to present the delinquent property list to the county commission from May 15 to June 15; changing the commission’s certification deadline to the state auditor from June 1 to July 1; requiring personal service of notice on residential property owners or occupants if prior certified notice is not answered; authorizing the auditor to engage a private auctioneer under specified conditions; and allocating surplus sale proceeds with 50% to the county general school fund, 25% to the state general revenue fund and 25% to the auditor’s land operating fund.

SB 710 — Teledentistry practice act: The Senate passed the engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 710 creating a teledentistry practice act by a roll-call of 34 yays, 0 nays. The sponsor described the bill on the floor as establishing registration/licensure requirements, standards of care, provider‑patient relationship rules, exceptions, informed consent, dentist-of-record requirements, privacy and discipline provisions and rule‑making authority. "The bill creates a teledentistry practice act," the senator said on the floor and urged passage.

SB 733 — Legislative oversight commission appointments: The chamber approved Engrossed Senate Bill 733, which allows the Senate president and House speaker to appoint required members to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Department of Transportation Accountability in cases where party diversity is lacking. Vote was 34 yays, 0 nays. The sponsor said the bill enables appointments at times when required party diversity is not present.

Other action of note:
- A bill (third‑reading title not specified in the floor transcript excerpt) authorizing the state board of education to delegate Medicaid provider status to public charter schools passed on third reading by recorded vote, 34 yays, 0 nays; the floor explanation said the state board would be required to include related information in its Medicaid annual report to the legislature.
- Engrossed committee substitute for committee substitute for House Bill 2441 (disqualifying persons from unemployment compensation after failing certain employer drug tests in safety‑sensitive positions) passed on third reading, 34 yays, 0 nays; a title amendment was adopted before the clerk communicated the action to the House.

Procedural notes and context: Most measures reported from committee were advanced on second reading without amendments; committee reports were read into the record by committee chairs (for example, Amy N. Grady for Education and Patricia Puertas Rucker for Government Organization). Several bills were advanced with committee title amendments and were forwarded to the House as required. The Senate convened in Charleston and concluded the session with committee meeting announcements and adjournment until the next scheduled floor session.

Quotes from the floor: "The bill creates a teledentistry practice act," (Senator from Ohio) said when urging passage of the teledentistry bill. On SB 601, the sponsor (Senator from Jefferson) summarized the change: "If a municipality imposes a fire fee or charge that affects county residents outside the municipality, this bill allows those county residents to protest in the same way as they would to protest a county ordinance imposing a fire service fee." On SB 683 the floor sponsor described deadline changes and how surplus sale proceeds would be split: "50% to the county's general school fund, 25% to the state's general revenue fund, and 25% to the auditor's land operating fund." These attributions follow the floor transcript.

What the record does not show: The transcript excerpt includes roll‑call tallies but not the full individual vote record for every bill (the journal records counts). Where the transcript omitted bill numbers or full statutory citations, this article notes the omission ("not specified"). No external analysis or interpretation beyond the chamber's floor statements is included.

Votes at a glance (selected bills listed with recorded Senate action):
- SB 75 — Passed, 25–9 (recorded roll‑call).
- SB 76 — Passed, 34–0.
- SB 601 (committee substitute) — Passed, 33–1.
- SB 615 — Passed, 34–0; effective from passage declared, 34–0.
- SB 683 — Passed, 34–0.
- SB 710 — Passed, 34–0.
- SB 733 — Passed, 34–0.
- HB 2441 (as engrossed) — Passed, 34–0.

The clerk will communicate the Senate actions to the House of Delegates for bills requiring concurrence or further House action. The Senate adjourned and announced committee meeting times for the following week.