HB4351 S JUDICIARY AMT

Hartley 7889

    The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

    Eng. Com. Sub. for House Bill No. 4351--A Bill to amend and reenact §15-5B-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §15-5B-6; to amend and reenact §22A-1-4, §22A-1-14 and §22A-1-21 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto two new sections, designated §22A-1-13a and 22A-1-40; to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §22A-1A-1, §22A-1A-2, §22A-1A-3 and §22A-1A-4; to amend and reenact §22A-2-2, §22A-2-12, §22A-2-16, §22A-2-20, §22A-2-24, §22A-2-43, §22A-2-55 and §22A-2-66 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §22A-2-43a; to amend and reenact §22A-6-4 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto two new sections, designated §22A-6-13 and §22A-6-14; to amend and reenact §22A-7-5 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §22A-7-5a; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §22A-12-1, all relating to mine safety generally; requiring coal mine operators to provide reports to and notify certain entities in the event of an emergency; establishing a mine safety anonymous tip hotline; exempting information provided to the hotline from the Freedom of Information Act; permitting the Director of the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training to share information regarding certification suspensions or revocations with other states and to promulgate certain legislative rules; requiring a study be conducted regarding mine inspector qualifications, compensation, training and inspections; creating a criminal offense and establishing criminal penalties for providing advance notice of an inspection or an inspector’s presence at a mine; increasing civil and criminal penalties; requiring operator or employer to investigate complaints involving impaired miners; creating criminal offense and penalty for willful violation of mine safety laws, rules or standards causing a fatality; providing confidentiality of certain meetings relating to violations and mining accidents; excepting certain statements from release under freedom of information act; providing conditions relating to statements to director; allowing designation of certain persons by miner family members to attend interviews and hearings in certain circumstances and providing limitations thereto; providing that Director prepare and distribute list containing certain information of persons to assist families following accidents; providing for suspension of mining certificates in certain circumstances; requiring coal mining operators and certain employers to implement substance abuse screening policy and program for certain persons; providing procedures and minimum requirements of substance abuse screening policy and program; requiring substance abuse screening upon preemployment, rehiring or transfer of miner; requiring coal mine operators to provide notification to the Director of the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training of certain information at specified intervals and upon certain events related to substance abuse violations; allowing operator policies to be more restrictive than minimum statutory requirements; requiring substance abuse screening of all persons in safety sensitive positions; requiring immediate suspension of miner certificates as a result of suspensions or revocations for substance abuse in other jurisdictions and reciprocity; providing procedure for board of appeals hearings on certification suspensions and judicial review of board decisions; providing exemptions from and exceptions to the disclosure of substance abuse screening results; proving rule-making on thresholds and other protocols and requirements; providing internal effective dates; revising procedure for approval, review, comment and enforcement of mine ventilation plans; increasing the number of days an apprentice must work within sight and sound of mine foreman or experienced miner; authorizing additional training when certain conduct creating hazardous condition at mine; requiring methane detectors be maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications; requiring periodic review copies of fire boss books by the mining superintendent or senior person at the mine, and duties thereto; requiring director to proscribe fire boss book; revising and expanding examination and reporting requirements relating to certain inspections; increasing the percentage of rock dust to be maintained in coal mines and providing certain information upon request; prescribing actions required to detect and respond to excess methane gas levels in coal mines; establishing safety levels and testing requirements relating to methane and providing for rules relating thereto and requiring certain action at certain levels; prescribing requirements for persons to operate or repair mining machinery; providing for increased training regarding the use of self-contained self-rescue devices; providing additional notification by coal mine operators in the event of an accident; allowing reduction of civil penalties when mitigating circumstances exist; authorizing board to conduct investigation in accidents resulting in a fatality; requiring study of and report on the safety of working or traveling in bleeder or gob areas of certain coal mines; requiring studies of expanding certification and mandatory substance abuse program and authorizing emergency rule-making by the Board and Director relating thereto; directing additional education for certain miners rights and protections; requiring study of and report on education, training and examination associated with certifying miners; and requiring a study and report on enforcement procedures.

Adopted

Rejected