Senate Bill 616, which restricts representation rights in the grievance process, passed the full Senate 27-7 today (Wednesday). The bill, opposed by the leadership of UE Local 170, goes to the House of Delegates.
The bill, sponsored by Charles Trump (R-Morgan), passed on the final day for bills to clear their house of origin. Trump also is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which took up the bill in “Other Business” late Friday, in order to beat that deadline.
There was little discussion.
Voting against were the following senators, all Democrats: Baldwin, Facemire, Hardesty, Lindsay, Prezioso, Romano and Stollings.
The vote on SB 820, which allows the DHHR to “transfer comprehensive community mental health centers and comprehensive intellectual disability facilities to regional mental health centers or regional intellectual disability facilities,” passed on a unanimous 34-0 vote, with little discussion.
In other bills that concern union members, SB 312 passed 34-0. That relates to the provisional licensure requirements for social workers.
Today is the 50th day of the Legislative session, which ends March 7.