This Week in the House of Delegates 2-11-22
For the week ending Feb. 11, 2022
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates continued their efforts to ensure the state is considered for the kinds of investments that bring generational change to its economy as the regular legislative session passed the halfway point this week.
The full House passed House Bill 4003 Monday. The measure would establish a clear legal right of title to the chemical compounds, elements and substances derived from the treatment of acid mine drainage as well as setting definitive roles in the cleanup and extraction of rare earth elements from those coal waste piles. West Virginia has a vast array of coal waste piles, and those abandoned treatment solids contain concentrations of the rare earth elements in high demand because of their essential role in making most electronic and automotive products.
The bill passed the House by a near-unanimous vote and now is with the Senate for debate.
“We remain committed to creating a business climate that turns heads and catches national attention for opening up avenues previously thought to be restricted and off the table in West Virginia,” said House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay. “I will continue to repeat to anyone who will listen that we are an economy in transition, and we are a welcome economy for investments, expansions and new industries right here in the Mountain State.”
In addition to Senate Bill 4, a reversal of the state’s nuclear power ban, becoming law this week, the House adopted House Resolution 13. HR13 creates the Select Committee on Tourism and Economic Diversification for the remainder of the 85th Legislature to maximize the economic development efforts taking place within the Legislature.
Hanshaw appointed House Speaker Pro Tempore Gary Howell, R-Mineral, as Chairman of the new Select Committee. Other members include: Vice Chairman Delegate Eric Householder, R-Berkeley; Delegate Josh Holstein, R-Boone; Delegate Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell; Delegate Riley Keaton, R-Roane; Delegate Clay Riley, R-Harrison; House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha; Delegate Johnnie Wamsley, R-Mason; Delegate Bryan Ward, R-Hardy; Delegate John Williams, D-Monongalia; and Delegate Mark Zatezalo, R-Hancock.
“I’m honored to add the important work of this Committee to my duties this year as we continue to develop a more diverse economy and do everything we can to make West Virginia the easy choice for job creation and prosperity,” Howell said.
The first meeting of the Select Committee on Tourism and Economic Diversification will be at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15 in Room 460M. Three bills aimed at creating narrow tax credits for specific investments are on the agenda.
House Bill 4098, which would make it clear in state code that geothermal energy may be developed in West Virginia, also passed the full House of Delegates overwhelmingly this week. The measure outlines the ownership rights of geothermal resources and would put any regulatory oversight of development and exploration of those resources under the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
“This is a new chapter in West Virginia’s history, and this is part of the all-in energy program that we are following currently,” Zatezalo said in support of the bill during debate on the floor Thursday.
House Judiciary Chairman Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, explained to Delegates the measure was brought forward strictly as a preventive move to ensure public safety is in place before any commercialization or utilization of the state’s geothermal resources occurs.
“I think there was a desire to sort of investigate this source of energy, if it has potential down the road,” Capito said before the vote.
As of Feb. 11, a total of 1,286 bills had been introduced in the House and 14 bills had completed legislation. The regular legislative session ends at midnight March 12.
Contact: Ann Ali at (304) 340-3323