By Patrick Hurston
The 87 th Session of the West Virginia State Legislature kicked off on Wednesday, Feb.
12, 2025, at a blistering pace. By mid-afternoon on the second day, 813 bills were
introduced. Only a fraction of these will pass during the 60-day session which ends at
midnight on April 12, 2025. Last year’s session saw 2,575 bills introduced. Only 279
passed into law.
According to Hardy County Delegate Bryan Ward (R-86), new House rules adopted on
opening day will shed more light on what’s contained in these bills.
When proposed in January the new rules raised concern among citizen and advocacy
groups. Some believed transparency and public participation would suffer, because they
eliminated public hearings on the House floor. The hearings were required if there was a
written request made by a citizen.
Ward said, “Many argued that it [the new rules] mutes the voices of citizens as they no
longer have ‘public hearings’ as we’ve always had.”
Ward said there were problems with the process.
He said that a hearing was required to be announced on the floor of the House 48 hours
ahead of time. The hearings were always for a limited amount of time, however, usually
an hour and usually at 8 a.m.
“This was not very convenient for the public or the lawmakers, and it was especially not
conducive to a thoughtful and deliberative discussion about the issue in front of us if the
speakers were limited to less than one minute each to speak, as was frequently the
case,” said Ward.
Under the old process, a bill could be put on a committee’s agenda, debated, amended,
and voted on the same day.
“These are all things that are changing as part of our new committee structure, which
has a hearing process now built into each bill a Standing Committee and a
Subcommittee takes up,” Ward said. “Committees can take as much time as they need
and hear from whoever the committee members feel they should hear from, including
members of the public and state agencies.”
The new process allows for three days of consideration and debate. Each bill will be
assigned to one of six Standing Committees, or their respective subcommittees. The
new Standing Committees include Finance; Judiciary; Health and Human Services;
Government Organization; Education; and Energy and Public Works.
Day one will now consist of hearings where lawmakers will hear from the bill’s sponsor,
as well as any subject matter experts that are called. Public testimony, both written and
in-person will also be taken.
Day two will consist of the bill’s mark-up, a process where it can be debated and
amended. Finally, on day three the committee will vote.
Ward said other new aspects of the process include making all testimony, meeting
minutes, and audio recording of the meetings public on the legislature’s website.
“This is a different process, but we’re excited for the expansion of opportunities we’ll
have as legislators to hear from the public and take their concerns under consideration,”
Ward said.
