Short Takes from the Session: Day 14

DUI: Mothers Against Drunk Driving plans to champion a bill, previewed by The Register-Herald of Beckley, that "that calls for mandatory use of interlocks on motor vehicles and harsher penalties for 'aggravated DUI'"

TIMBER: If state revenues remain healthy, Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick tells MetroNews he wants to apply any surplus toward offsetting the severance tax on timber. The Pocahontas County Democrat argues the tax cut could help the industry that employs 30,000 weather economic downturns. With audio.

LAWSUIT VENUES: The Charleston Gazette reports on progress for a bill sought by Gov. Joe Manchin, to close a loophole resulting from last year's effort to limit lawsuits filed by out-of-state plaintiffs.

INSURANCE: "Feeling they have run into a stone wall in trying to make the insurance commissioner accountable to the Legislature," a pair of delegates have revived a push begun last year to switch that executive branch office from appointed to elected, The Register-Herald reports.

The move would requires a constitutional amendment, but one of the lawmakers alleges that insurance rates are lower "in every state where the voters fill the office, rather than the governor."