Now to SB 3026, the bill cleaning up loopholes in SB 12, dealing with local health departments rules and how those are approved.
Issues arose around the difference between rules and orders. The bill requires that rules developed by local boards of health must be approved by county commissions within 30 days or the rules is void.
Local health officers can only issue orders based in rules put in place by the local health boards according to a clarification from House Health Chair Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell. Del. Tom Fast, R-Fayette, seems skeptical.
The original bill included language allowing county school boards to also reject board of health rules. That language was taken out by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Bill only deals with county commissions.
No push-back from Democratic House members on bill surprisingly. Rohrback just closed debate. SB 3026 passes 81-15.
Next up is SB 3030, the bill making changes to the Intermediate Court of Appeals, including allowing virtual hearings.
Now to HB 335, the COVID-19 medical/religious exemptions bill. Here is my most recent story on that. theintelligencer.net/news/top-headl…
Del. Larry Rowe, D-Kanawha, asks if the bill also allows mandates at state and local government levels? @BrandonSteeleWV said it doesn’t require anyone create a mandate, but it simply allows medical/religious exemptions if mandates occur.
.@pushkinforhouse, the minority chair of of House Health, asked Steele if he got COVID twice. “Yes,” Steele said. @hansenevan also points out the bill doesn’t ban COVID-19 mandates.
Unsure if House Democratic members are trying a bit of reverse psychology to gain votes against the bill.
Hansen raises point that hospitals often require vaccines and already have processes in place for vetting medical/religious exemptions. Out of 100 religious exemptions made at a larger medical provider in the state, 15 were granted, Hansen said.