West Virginia bill to allow more spending on vocational schools passes House

(The Center Square) – Legislation to grant the West Virginia School Building Authority to spend additional money on maintenance projects for vocational programs passed the House of Delegates on Tuesday.

House Bill 2906, sponsored by Del. Joshua Higginbotham, R-Putnam, would allow the authority to spend up to 10% of its annual construction and major improvements budget on vocational programs. Currently, the board can only spend up to 3% of that budget on such programs.

Maintenance spending would include the allocation of money for lease purchase options, county maintenance budget requirements, submission of project designs, set-asides to encourage local participation and some other forms of spending.

The legislation will now head to the Senate for consideration.

An amended version of Senate bill 270 to change the laws regarding hotel occupancy taxes also passed the House and will head back to the Senate for consideration. This bill would permit marketplace facilitators used to book hotels to collect the occupancy tax and allow hotels to enter into agreements in which the facilitator collects that tax. Currently, the law requires hotels to collect the tax.

The Senate passed Senate Bill 334, which would put restrictions on needle exchange programs in counties created to provide sterile syringes for drug users. It would require the program be approved by the majority of county commissioners and include mandatory one-to-one exchanges of needles.

Supporters of the legislation argue it would promote safer exchanges, but opponents argue it would establish too many hurdles for localities seeking to adopt such programs. The legislation will be sent to the House.

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square