WVEC Weekly Legislative Round-Up

By Lucia Valentine and Kasey Russell, WVEC Lobbyists

Today is the 52nd Day of the 2025 Legislative Session! Crossover Day was Wednesday, April 2, which means that bills that did not pass out of their house of origin are dead unless special measures are used to resurrect them. As we enter the session’s last week, here is a recap of bills still alive, what you can do to stop them or, in one case, keep them moving, and which bills didn’t make it past Crossover Day. This is our last newsletter of the session – stay tuned for action alerts next week and our final end-of-session recap in a couple of weeks! 

Bills That Are Moving (Still Alive): 

Microgrid Program (concerns with local control, increased fossil fuel use)

Microgrid Program SB 818 did not make it out of the Senate. However, the House version, HB 2014, passed on an 88-12 vote. Thank you to all Democrats and Republican Delegates Flanigan (R-Ohio), Bridges (R-Logan), and Gearheart (R-Mercer) who voted against this bill. It is currently in the Senate Economic Development Committee.

Tucker County could be the site for the first microgrid under this legislation where a 500-acre power plant and data center could impose heavy construction, nonstop noise, and glaring light pollution on areas near Blackwater Falls State Park, Dolly Sods Wilderness and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. 

Read more from our partners at the WV Highland Conservancy and take action here.

We’ve heard from legislators that your emails and calls are making a difference. Let’s keep up the pressure—please contact your senators today. They need to hear from their constituents!

Ensuring Reliable and Affordable Electricity Act (misleading and misnamed)

SB 505 passed the Senate last week and was referred to the House Energy and Public Works Committee. As reported in last week’s update, we have concerns that the bill would accomplish the opposite by forcing coal-fired power plants to operate even when it’s costly, raising consumer prices. Further, it blocks the usage of affordable energy alternatives and weakens the Public Service Commission’s regulatory authority. Take action against this bill here! 

Advanced Nuclear (we remain concerned about how this bill would be implemented)

HB 2205 passed the House last week and is now in the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee, but is not on its agenda yet. It expands the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction to include regulation of advanced nuclear reactors. 

Water Quality Standards (allows more pollution in our drinking water/poised to pass Senate today)

As you recall, the WV Department of Environmental Protection’s (WV DEP) rule bundle, HB 2233, passed the House, despite our work with Senate Judiciary Members explaining that industry went around the normal process to allow more pollutants into our waterways. The bill passed out of Senate Judiciary and is on 3nd reading in the Senate today, April 4. Autumn Crowe, WV Rivers Coalition Deputy Director, testified against the committee substitute, highlighting that it was added after the public review and legislative oversight process was complete. As written, the bill removes Category A drinking water protections from certain West Virginia rivers and streams. Thank you for all your calls on this bill and efforts to amend it in both the House and Senate.

Above Ground Storage Tank Act (Zombie bill we fight each year, will it come alive in the final week of session?)

As previously reported, SB 592 passed the full Senate on Friday, March 14. It would remove oil, gas, and coal tanks in ZCCs (Zones of Critical Concern) from inspections mandated under the Aboveground Storage Tank Act. The House Energy and Public Works Committee has not taken up the bill, but it still could. Stay tuned for an action alert if it starts to move next week.

The Public River Access Bill (Good bill!)

Senator Woodrum’s (R-Summers) River Access Bill, SB 801, would require the WV Department of Transportation to consider including public access to waterways when building new bridges. 

It passed out of the Senate and is currently in the House Government Organization Committee. It was on the Committee’s agenda on Wednesday, April 2, and should have been on the amendment and mark-up stage on Thursday, April 3, but it was not on the agenda. Keep those emails and calls in support of this bill going to members of the Government Organization Committee. 

Dead Bills – All Good News!

“Public Electrical Savings Act” (eliminates progress on renewable energy access) 

 SB 763 was introduced by Governor Morrisey. It was pulled off the Senate Calendar before its third reading and sent to the Rules Committee. As reported in last week’s newsletter, this legislation would eliminate solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) and create a formula to calculate utility profits from new electric generation, focusing on fossil fuels. Additionally, the bill would impose penalties on entities that make private agreements with West Virginia landowners for projects using forest land to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Environmental, social, and governance programs 

SB 850, sponsored by Senator Willis (R-Berkeley), passed out of Senate Banking and Insurance after failing to pass the first time. A committee substitute was passed with immediate consideration and read the first time. This bill was pulled from the Senate Calendar before its second reading and sent to the Rules Committee. It would allow the legislature to oversee how private companies are run by allowing for a breach of contract if a corporation’s director or officer prioritizes any element of environmental, social or governance interest over financial risk or maximizing financial return to shareholders. 

Community Air Monitoring, SB 575 and Anti-Science Bill HB 2493

Neither made it  out of their houses of origin. 

ATVs  

SB 711 and  SB 924, both introduced by Senator Maynard (R-Wayne), did not make it out of the Senate. Both were bad bills allowing more access by motorized vehicles on our public lands. 

Click here to check out WVEC’s complete list of 2025 Legislative Priorities.

To reach our lobby team, please email luciavalentine10@gmail.com and russell.kasey@gmail.com