West Virginia House Bill HR13

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/27/25
• Report Pass: 3/27/25
• Refer: 3/27/25
• Report Pass: 4/8/25
• Enrolled: 4/9/25
• Passed: 4/9/25

Caption

Urging statewide efforts to promote C-peptide testing education and training initiatives among critical care and emergency healthcare providers in Memory of Michael Brandon Cochran

Summary

House Resolution 13 is a memorial resolution urging statewide efforts to increase education and training on C-peptide testing for critical care and emergency healthcare providers in West Virginia. The resolution is framed in memory of Michael Brandon Cochran and is grounded in the idea that C-peptide testing can help clinicians better evaluate unexplained or severe hypoglycemia by distinguishing between naturally produced insulin and externally administered insulin in certain cases. The resolution also encourages the state to explore no-cost ways to expand access to this diagnostic tool, including public-private partnerships and targeted grant programs. It specifically calls for outreach to the Department of Health Facilities, major hospital systems, and state medical associations, emphasizing patient safety, evidence-based practice, and forensic clarity rather than regulation or mandates.

Impact

HR13 does not amend the West Virginia Code or create a new regulatory requirement. Instead, it expresses the House’s support for voluntary clinical education, institutional awareness, and broader access to C-peptide testing among hospitals and emergency providers. Its practical impact is limited to advocacy and communication with health agencies and medical organizations, though it may encourage hospitals and health systems to consider training, protocols, or partnerships related to hypoglycemia evaluation.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment around the resolution is strongly supportive and compassionate. It passed the House unanimously, 99-0, indicating broad agreement with its patient-safety message and its memorial purpose. The language of the resolution also reflects a consensus-oriented approach, stressing collaboration, voluntary adoption, and no-cost funding mechanisms rather than imposing new obligations on providers or institutions.

Contention

There was little visible contention in the available record, and no committee transcript debate was provided. The resolution itself anticipates possible concerns by explicitly stating that it should not impose penalties or unfunded mandates, which suggests sensitivity to provider autonomy, cost, and administrative burden. Any potential disagreement would likely center on whether statewide promotion of C-peptide testing should be pursued through formal policy or left to local clinical judgment, but the unanimous vote indicates no recorded opposition.