This week, too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender. And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates for more than two hours debated a bill that would require public schools to accept religious vaccine exemptions. But Senate Bill 460 was rejected, 56-42. Briana Heaney has the story.
After the defeat of the vaccine bill in the House, News Director Eric Douglas sat down and discussed the results with Dr. Cathy Slemp, former state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and now co-chair of the West Virginia Hope in Action Alliance, and House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell.
Also, parental rights took center stage on the Senate floor, as lawmakers held a lengthy debate over local control. Chris Schulz has more.
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The bill establishes a new offense of ‘Aggravated DUI Resulting in Death,’ doubles mandatory prison sentence lengths, and removes access to home confinement or the youthful offender program.
State Treasurer Larry Pack will be sending out a letter to newborn parents in West Virginia to encourage them to enroll their children in “Trump Accounts.”