WV Farm Bureau Magazine January 2014 | Page 35

WV DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN RESOURCES PROCEDURE FOR ASSUMING CUSTODY OF CHILDREN DURING SCHOOL HOURS We strongly urge the WV Department of Health and Human Resources to amend their procedures for seizing custody of children bound for foster care directly from the classroom. If it is deemed necessary to take a child into custody during school hours, it should be done in cooperation with the school administration, and in such a way that it does not further add to the child’s trauma or interrupt the classroom environment. SOCIAL SECURITY Farm Bureau recommends that all income taxes on Social Security cease. HEALTH INSURANCE Farm Bureau is opposed to national health insurance in any form. We oppose any legislation on health insurance that would adversely impact the agricultural community and/or rural West Virginia. RIGHT TO WORK Farm Bureau recommends that the West Virginia Legislature place the right to work issue on the ballot. RIGHT TO WORK FOR CHILDREN Farm Bureau favors amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to restore the right of persons under age 14 to work on farms during non-school time, with the written consent of parent(s) or guardian. STRIKES OR WORK STOPPAGES BY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES Farm Bureau favors legislation to prohibit strikes by government employees. We recommend that the penalty be forfeiture of tenure and seniority rights. REPEAL OF DAVIS-BACON ACT Farm Bureau urges the repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act and similar state legislation. Prevailing wages are often artificially high and may be detrimental to local projects and contractors. power used basis on some meters, adversely affecting many customers who use certain meter facilities for very short periods during the year, causing billed amounts to exceed the power actually used. Farm Bureau requests that the Public Service Commission require the KW demand be reviewed every two years by the provider and adjusted based on most recent history of usage. UTILITY RATE HEARINGS Utility rate increase and policy change hearings are currently held only in Charleston. Farm Bureau recommends that these hearings be held in the communities affected by the proposed increase. MANDATORY ENLISTMENTS OF PUBLIC WATER AND SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS Landowners who have adequate water and/or sewage systems should not be forced to accept public service or be charged for that service if not accepted. COUNTY REFERENDUMS Farm Bureau recommends legislation requiring that a referendum that is defeated in a county election cannot be placed on the ballot again for four years, and then must coincide with a General Election. SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT FOR IMPOSITION OF COUNTY FEES Farm Bureau believes that the signature requirement to impose a fee for services at the county level, which is 10% of voters who have voted in the last election, should be equal to or greater than the signature requirement necessary to force a ballot vote, which is 20% of voters who have voted in the last election. COUNTY RECORDS Information now available in the County Clerk’s records includes deaths, births, marriages, sex, marital status, and names of children. Farm Bureau recommends that the name of the cemetery where a deceased person is buried or method of interment be added to these records. DEMAND BILLINGS ON ELECTRICITY RATES Electric companies use demand billing rather than West Virginia Farm Bureau News 35