Legislature 2009: Day 50

The day has arrived for the House and Senate to finish exchanging the bills they'll be dealing with the rest of the session (the as-yet-unamended budget bill is an exception to this rule).

The Associated Press examines Gov. Joe Manchin's legislative agenda, and the ability of its 25 items to cross over in time. "At least seven of the governor’s bills are up for a vote Wednesday," the article said. "Among them are proposals to increase jobless benefits funding, harness alternative and renewable energy sources, and control the growth of the PROMISE scholarship program."

All told, more than 270 bills have emerged from the chamber where they started in advance of Wednesday's deadline, AP notes.

About 60 of those bills passed the House or Senate on Tuesday. AP also has items on bills to protect school buses and stops, shore up funding for prepaid tuition, and upgrade state fire and building codes.

AP and The Register-Herald of Beckley each report on a measure advanced to the House to boost mental health funding.

AP also notes a Senate-passed bill "that would require teens under 18 to get written permission from their parents before visiting tanning salons," and "teens younger than 14 to actually bring a parent with them to the salon." The Charleston Daily Mail reports on that bill as well.

MetroNews sets the state for today's vote on Manchin's proposal to aid the state's jobless benefits fund. With audio.