Schools, Elections, Drug Penalties: House Judiciary Committee Acts On Wide Spate Of Bills

Just days remain in this year’s legislative session, and members of the West Virginia House of Delegates continue to review bills spanning a variety of topics.

In a Wednesday morning meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, delegates took action on bills pertaining to classroom decor, election protocol, drug offenses and the oil and gas industry.

Senate Bill 280: Displaying ‘In God We Trust’ At Schools

Senate Bill 280 would require public schools across the state to display the national motto, “In God We Trust,” somewhere on school grounds alongside the United States flag.

Lead sponsor Sen. Michael Azinger, R-Wood, testified on his bill’s behalf before the committee Tuesday. He affirmed that the motto has a religious underpinning, but described it as integral to U.S. history.

“What’s more benign or more wonderful than having the U.S. motto on the walls of our schools, where kids can see that we are a nation under God, and that God is our foundation?” Azinger asked.

It is not the first time lawmakers have pushed to display the phrase more prominently in schools. Similar bills were proposed in the West Virginia Senate in both 2023 and 2024, but neither was passed into law.

Some lawmakers have expressed concern that the explicit reference to the Christian-faith God would limit religious freedom for non-Christian students.

“Which God are we talking about?” Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, asked Azinger during the committee’s meeting Tuesday.

“Throughout the history of America, you know which God,” Azinger replied.

Despite questions from Democratic members the day prior, the House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to advance Senate Bill 280 to the House floor with the recommendation that it pass.

Senate Bill 196: Heightening Penalties For Drug Sales

The committee also advanced Senate Bill 196 to the House floor, otherwise known as “Lauren’s Law.” The bill would raise criminal penalties for drug trafficking offenses, and is named after a Morgantown resident who died after ingesting drugs laced with fentanyl.

The bill particularly focuses on the manufacturing, or delivery of six specific drugs: fentanyl, methamphetamine, PCP, LSD, cocaine and heroin.

It faced some pushback from committee members on both sides of the aisle earlier this week. Some lawmakers and residents providing testimony worried it was too sprawling, and questioned the efficacy of expanding criminal penalties to address the addiction crisis.

Meanwhile, proponents of the bill argued addressing the use of illicit substances begins with stiffer penalties for those who provide them.

Members of the committee voted to advance an amended version of the bill Wednesday, which adds clarifications around what constitutes drug delivery and aims to more explicitly target wide-scale drug traffickers. Committee members had expressed concern earlier in the week that the bill could be misconstrued to target individuals experiencing addiction who transfer small amounts of prohibited substances.

Lauren’s Law now heads to the House floor for further review, with the committee’s recommendation that it pass.

Senate Bill 488: Refining Electioneering Laws

Also under consideration was Senate Bill 488, which would modify laws around electioneering, or efforts to influence an election.

The bill provides more distinct language to describe what campaign paraphernalia can’t be brought to a polling location. That includes merchandise promoting a candidate or ballot measure; campaign literature; and signs, stickers and pins pertaining to the election, among other things.

The bill also modifies laws surrounding photography at voting locations, which is already restricted under state law. The bill would prohibit photography within 100 feet of a polling place entrance, but allow for phone calls and the use of electronic devices in these zones.

During Tuesday’s committee meeting, David Cook, general counsel for the secretary of state’s office, testified that the proposal follows complaints lodged by county clerks during the 2024 election cycle.

“During early voting and on Election Day, we got multiple complaints from various different clerks regarding people pulling out their cameras and taking photographs in the voting room,” Cook said.

Cook said incidents like these cause disruptions.

“This is not a situation where we’re trying to say, ‘Don’t take ballot selfies,’” he said. “This is to maintain order in voting places.”

The committee advanced the bill to the House floor Wednesday with the recommendation that it pass.

Senate Bill 124: Limiting Appeals On Oil, Gas Contracts

One bill under review did not find the committee’s approval.

Senate Bill 124 would have reduced the statute of limitations under which property owners can appeal contracts made with oil and gas companies on their land. Some lawmakers worried it would disempower residents given faulty deals.

That bill was voted down by a verbal majority of lawmakers Wednesday, halting it with just days left in this year’s legislative session. Thursday is the deadline for any piece of legislation proposed during this year’s legislative session to be taken up for a first reading on a chamber floor.