Legislature 2010: Day 37

• The aforementioned vacant building registry proposal from Gov. Joe Manchin goes to the Senate after passing the House, The Associated Press reports. "Wednesday's 79-17 vote followed GOP-led concerns over increasing local government power," the article said.

• The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington also reports on the registry bill, while Wheeling Mayor (and ex-GOP lawmaker) Andy McKenzie tells The Intelligencer that "anything that gives local governments a chance to deal with problems like this is good."

• The drive to fund substance abuse programs by hiking alcohol taxes continues, with both AP and The Charleston Gazette covering discussion of the proposal in the House Health and Human Resources Committee.

• A Senate Committee has advanced a measure that would create "a special commission to help West Virginia play a major role in plotting America’s energy future," The Register-Herald of Beckley reports.

• The Charleston Daily Mail reports that senators are weighing "a plan that would strengthen the state's Higher Education Policy Commission and take autonomy back from Marshall and West Virginia universities."