House of Delegates

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly this week to increase the support given to adoptive families.

House Bill 2002, which passed by a vote of 88-8 Feb. 9, would increase the current adoption tax credit from $4,000 to $5,000. It also would allow for adoptive children to participate in the state’s early intervention services, such as Birth to Three, Right from the Start and Drug Free Moms and Babies. The measure also would establish the Support for Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program within the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, to establish a mechanism for state funds to go to pregnancy support organizations. A pregnancy help organization would be required to meet a host of standards, including registering as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

“We have a unique opportunity to help adoptive families by raising their one-time tax credit … and that goes a long way toward helping with the expenses involved in and through adoption,” said House Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood. “I believe that this will help and encourage families to take that step to enjoy adoptive children.”

House Bill 2218, the Distracted Driving Act, also received widespread and bipartisan support in the House. The measure passed the House Feb. 10 by a vote of 88-6. The West Virginia Legislature first passed a ban in 2012 on using a phone without hands-free technology while driving. HB2218, which now goes to the Senate for debate, would update the current law to extend the prohibitions to any wireless communications device or a stand-alone electronic device. It would add clarity to definitions, increase some distracted driving penalties, and add an exception for autonomous vehicles.

“We, in Judiciary, receive testimony from time to time from stories, and we had an impactful one last week in committee that was descriptive of an incident that brought to light a gap in our law,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Moore Capito, R-Kanawha. “Sometimes, we understand that technology tends to outrun our code, and so what we’re attempting to do here today is update that so that no tragic loss like we heard of in Judiciary will ever happen again due to somebody messing on their cellphone when they should be paying attention to driving.”

A total of 19 bills have completed legislative action and seven of those have become law. 1,365 House bills have been introduced as of Feb. 10, and 58 of those have passed the House. The 60-day, regular legislative session ends at midnight March 11.

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