HR1 HFA Fleischauer and Guthrie 1-15

            Delegates Fleischauer and Guthrie move to amend the resolution on page seven, line sixteen, following the period, by inserting the following new section, to read as follows:

“Children and Families Impact Statement

            95a. Upon the introduction of any legislation which has a potential impact on the children and families, the Speaker may request from any institution under the authority of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, including but not limited to any state college or university, West Virginia University, or Marshall University, a review of the proposed legislation for purposes of preparing an Children and Families Impact Statement. The Impact Statement may address the probable effect of any proposed legislation on children and families of the State of West Virginia including, but not limited to, the effect of the legislation on children in poverty, services provided by the state to families, educational opportunities for children and their parents, and whether any proposed legislation will harm or enhance the availability of services provided to children in poverty and single parent households. The statement shall include the names of those persons who participated in the drafting of the statement, including the time spent preparing the statement. The institution shall also make available a lead author of the statement or other qualified representative of the institution to discuss the statement with any committee of the House in which the legislation was referred. The Speaker shall request from any institution that produced a statement, a follow-up study two and five years following enactment of the legislation to analyze the accuracy of any conclusions and findings made in the Impact Statement. It shall be the responsibility of the Speaker to obtain any requested Impact Statement, which shall be based on generally accepted methodology. The Rules Committee may, but is not required to, make by resolution recommendations as to the form and additional contents of the Impact Statement.

            The phrase “Children and Families Impact Statement” or the initials “CAFIS” must be clearly stamped or endorsed on the jackets of all bills that have statements attached to them. The failure to comply with any provision of this Rule shall not prohibit the consideration or passage of any proposed legislation.”