The West Virginia Senate Government Organization Committee adopted its rules and approved several procedural authorizations during a short organizational meeting, including empowering the chair to set the committee agenda and permitting staff to make technical corrections to bills and resolutions.

The actions set how the committee will handle bills and resolutions going forward and included a vote to permit counsel to compile committee substitutes that incorporate technical changes after a bill has been presented and the committee has voted to report it.

Vice Chair (identified in the transcript as "Vice Chair") moved the motions that the committee adopt the Senate rules to govern committee deliberations and that the chair be authorized to set the agenda. Each motion was carried by voice vote; the chair announced, "In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it." The committee also approved a motion allowing staff to make technical corrections to bills, and a motion authorizing counsel to incorporate bills or resolutions and necessary technical changes into a committee substitute when reporting a bill or resolution in lieu of the original measure.

The committee approved a motion that all witnesses appearing before the committee, except Senate staff and West Virginia elected officials, be administered the oath authorized by Senate Rule 28(a). The motion was presented by the Vice Chair and carried by voice vote.

Committee Chair (identified in the transcript as "Chair") opened the meeting with introductions of committee staff, naming Sarah Williams as the committee clerk; Jared Chris as the administrative assistant; Davis Haines as the committee intern from Ripley, West Virginia; and Carl Fletcher as the committee counsel. The chair told members, "I want you to always know and understand that I'm here to serve you and to serve the will of this caucus."

No substantive bills, policy debates, or amendments were discussed or decided during this meeting. The committee adjourned after completing the organizational motions.