CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — West Virginia senators passed bills, offered amendments and introduced legislation on what turned out to be a busy Friday.
The legislative session rolls on with bills on many different issues facing the Mountain State being discussed on the full Senate floor.
Friday in the West Virginia Senate, four bills passed unanimously, including one concerning physicians.
“It would allow physicians that participate in the program to break traffic laws when responding to the emergency without getting a traffic citation,” explained Sen. Mark Maynard of Wayne County. “I’ll entertain questions but I urge passage of the bill.”
A bill receiving second reading addressed expanding the practice of optometry in the Mountain State. Republican Senator Tom Takubo offered amendments to the bill.
“According to the bill, you can have certification and do your first operation on live human beings having never done this before with zero supervision,” said Takubo. “This would simply say that you simply have to do 10 of each.”
One of Takubo’s amendments passed while the other failed. Senators plan to vote on the bill next week.
Another bill being discussed in committee would bring back the death penalty in West Virginia, but only for the crime of intentionally killing a first responder or law enforcement officer in the line of duty.
“In the last few years, we’ve seen a real uptick in shooting of law enforcement in the line of duty. This has to stop,” said Republican Sen. Mike Stuart, who sponsors the bill. “We need to make sure we put a strong blue line of protection around these individuals.”
Another top issue being discussed this session revolves around elementary school behavior and allowing a teacher to remove a violent student from their classroom.
“In the bill, we added that for the first offense when a child has violent, threatening or intimidating behavior, they meet with a school counselor, social worker or psychologist,” said Republican Sen. Amy Grady from Mason County. “They get a functional behavioral analysis immediately. That person… the teacher and the principal set up a behavior plan for that student. It gives them a two-week trial period.”
If a student continues to demonstrate violent behavior, they will be placed in one of the state’s alternative learning centers or could be required to learn virtually.
“It gives some options. It’s not perfect,” said Grady, who chairs the education committee. “We’d like to have alternative learning schools in every county, but we don’t yet. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Senators plan to vote on the bill, SB 199, early next week.
