West Virginia Senate approves multiple bills, adopts awareness resolutions on Feb. 27
February 28, 2025 | 2025 Legislature WV, West Virginia
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CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Senate on Feb. 27, 2025, approved several bills affecting municipal property sales, teen employment paperwork, planning commission residency and a new adopt-a-road volunteer program, and adopted two resolutions recognizing a health awareness week and dental-hygienists day.
The action came during a floor session in which senators moved dozens of measures through committee reports, readings and final votes. Key measures approved included an adopt-a-road program allowing volunteers to enter contracts with the Division of Highways for certain right-of-way maintenance, a change raising the value at which municipalities must sell property by public auction, and a revision to rules for hiring 14- and 15-year-olds that replaces county-issued work permits with parental consent and an age certificate from the commissioner of labor.
Supporters said the adopt-a-road program would let individuals, groups and political subdivisions volunteer labor, equipment and materials for tasks beyond litter control, subject to contracts and Division of Highways rules. "The committee substitute for Senate Bill 5 creates an adopt a road program similar but broader than the adopt a highway program for litter control," said the Senator from the Sixth.
The session also adopted Senate Resolution 16, designating the first full week in May as tardive dyskinesia awareness week, and Senate Resolution 17, designating Feb. 28, 2025, as dental hygienists day at the legislature. Speaking in support of the TD measure, the Senator from Jefferson said TD "is a chronic involuntary movement disorder characterized by uncontrollable and abnormal movements often seen in the lips, jaw, tongue, and eyes," and urged adoption to encourage screenings and early intervention.
Votes at a glance
- Senate Bill 5 (engrossed) — Establishing an adopt-a-road program: Passed (machine vote reported) 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bill authorizes volunteer agreements with the Division of Highways for activities including road clearing and other improvements to state rights of way; volunteers must enter contracts and follow division rules prior to performing work.
- Senate Bill 234 (engrossed) — Increasing value at which municipal property must be sold through public auction: Passed 22 yeas, 11 nays, 1 absent. The bill raises the threshold from $1,000 to $10,000 and allows a municipality that determines the highest and best use of real property to negotiate a sale to an adjacent property owner after written notice to all adjacent owners.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 369 (engrossed) — Bundle of 48 legislative rules (multiple boards and agencies): Passed 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bundle includes rules from boards such as the Board of Medicine, Board of Pharmacy, Board of Registered Professional Nurses, and others listed in the committee report.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 427 (engrossed) — Permitting certain teenagers to work without obtaining a county work permit: Passed 33 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bill removes the requirement that 14- and 15-year-olds obtain a county superintendent-issued work permit; instead, employers must obtain parental or guardian written consent and an age certificate from the Commissioner of Labor. The age certificate must reflect the child's name, age, parent/guardian contact information, job details, confirmation of parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, and hours to be worked as determined by existing law.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 459 (engrossed) — Residency requirements for planning commission members: Passed 31 yays, 2 nays, 1 absent. The substitute applies to municipal, county, multi-county regional, and joint planning commissions; it reduced the proposed state-residency requirement to three years (from five) and adjusted local residency requirements (including a three-year local residency requirement for certain commissions).
- Senate Resolution 16 — Designating the first full week in May as tardive dyskinesia awareness week: Adopted by voice vote.
- Senate Resolution 17 — Designating Feb. 28, 2025, as dental hygienists day at the legislature: Adopted by voice vote.
What lawmakers said and next steps
Senators who presented measures urged their passage with limited floor debate. The Senator from Raleigh described the changes in SB 427 as making it "easier for teenagers seeking job opportunities in the state to begin learning valuable skills." The Senator from Jefferson framed the TD resolution as a public-health awareness step, urging screenings and early detection for people taking antipsychotic medications.
Several other bills were advanced, read for a second or third time, or held over on the calendar for further consideration. The clerk will communicate the Senate's actions to the House on matters that passed. The Senate adjourned and scheduled its next meeting for 11 a.m. Monday.
The action came during a floor session in which senators moved dozens of measures through committee reports, readings and final votes. Key measures approved included an adopt-a-road program allowing volunteers to enter contracts with the Division of Highways for certain right-of-way maintenance, a change raising the value at which municipalities must sell property by public auction, and a revision to rules for hiring 14- and 15-year-olds that replaces county-issued work permits with parental consent and an age certificate from the commissioner of labor.
Supporters said the adopt-a-road program would let individuals, groups and political subdivisions volunteer labor, equipment and materials for tasks beyond litter control, subject to contracts and Division of Highways rules. "The committee substitute for Senate Bill 5 creates an adopt a road program similar but broader than the adopt a highway program for litter control," said the Senator from the Sixth.
The session also adopted Senate Resolution 16, designating the first full week in May as tardive dyskinesia awareness week, and Senate Resolution 17, designating Feb. 28, 2025, as dental hygienists day at the legislature. Speaking in support of the TD measure, the Senator from Jefferson said TD "is a chronic involuntary movement disorder characterized by uncontrollable and abnormal movements often seen in the lips, jaw, tongue, and eyes," and urged adoption to encourage screenings and early intervention.
Votes at a glance
- Senate Bill 5 (engrossed) — Establishing an adopt-a-road program: Passed (machine vote reported) 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bill authorizes volunteer agreements with the Division of Highways for activities including road clearing and other improvements to state rights of way; volunteers must enter contracts and follow division rules prior to performing work.
- Senate Bill 234 (engrossed) — Increasing value at which municipal property must be sold through public auction: Passed 22 yeas, 11 nays, 1 absent. The bill raises the threshold from $1,000 to $10,000 and allows a municipality that determines the highest and best use of real property to negotiate a sale to an adjacent property owner after written notice to all adjacent owners.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 369 (engrossed) — Bundle of 48 legislative rules (multiple boards and agencies): Passed 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bundle includes rules from boards such as the Board of Medicine, Board of Pharmacy, Board of Registered Professional Nurses, and others listed in the committee report.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 427 (engrossed) — Permitting certain teenagers to work without obtaining a county work permit: Passed 33 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. The bill removes the requirement that 14- and 15-year-olds obtain a county superintendent-issued work permit; instead, employers must obtain parental or guardian written consent and an age certificate from the Commissioner of Labor. The age certificate must reflect the child's name, age, parent/guardian contact information, job details, confirmation of parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, and hours to be worked as determined by existing law.
- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 459 (engrossed) — Residency requirements for planning commission members: Passed 31 yays, 2 nays, 1 absent. The substitute applies to municipal, county, multi-county regional, and joint planning commissions; it reduced the proposed state-residency requirement to three years (from five) and adjusted local residency requirements (including a three-year local residency requirement for certain commissions).
- Senate Resolution 16 — Designating the first full week in May as tardive dyskinesia awareness week: Adopted by voice vote.
- Senate Resolution 17 — Designating Feb. 28, 2025, as dental hygienists day at the legislature: Adopted by voice vote.
What lawmakers said and next steps
Senators who presented measures urged their passage with limited floor debate. The Senator from Raleigh described the changes in SB 427 as making it "easier for teenagers seeking job opportunities in the state to begin learning valuable skills." The Senator from Jefferson framed the TD resolution as a public-health awareness step, urging screenings and early detection for people taking antipsychotic medications.
Several other bills were advanced, read for a second or third time, or held over on the calendar for further consideration. The clerk will communicate the Senate's actions to the House on matters that passed. The Senate adjourned and scheduled its next meeting for 11 a.m. Monday.
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