Sixteen days into the 60-day legislative session and everything seems slower compared to recent sessions, but the state Senate president said Friday that's only perception.

"It's a little slow," Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, said following Friday's Upper Chamber floor session.

"There's work going on, but we don't have those highly publicized bills."

Last year, lawmakers were faced immediately with dealing with casino-style gambling, a controversial issue that kept both their attention and the public's. Partly because it is an election year, lawmakers don't have those types of issues to worry about early.

Still, the president noted, more than 300 bills have been introduced. Tomblin said committees are holding hearings on budgets already and he has encouraged committee chairmen to push through their rule-making legislation early.

But he, too, is looking at an election year. While a number of senators - four Republicans and three Democrats - from the 17 seats up for election this year have decided to retire or run for other offices, Tomblin believes he'll win his race and return with a stronger Democratic majority. Two others, one from each party, who are not up for re-election have indicated they plan to run for other offices and would give up their Senate seats if they win.

"I think it's going to be a strong Democratic year," the president said, noting Gov. Joe Manchin and U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., will be heading the statewide ticket.

Still, no matter the result, Tomblin expects "a lot of changes. It'll be a different makeup."

Sixteen days into the 60-day legislative session and everything seems slower compared to recent sessions, but the state Senate president said Friday that's only perception.

"It's a little slow," Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, said following Friday's Upper Chamber floor session.

"There's work going on, but we don't have those highly publicized bills."

Last year, lawmakers were faced immediately with dealing with casino-style gambling, a controversial issue that kept both their attention and the public's. Partly because it is an election year, lawmakers don't have those types of issues to worry about early.

Still, the president noted, more than 300 bills have been introduced. Tomblin said committees are holding hearings on budgets already and he has encouraged committee chairmen to push through their rule-making legislation early.

But he, too, is looking at an election year. While a number of senators - four Republicans and three Democrats - from the 17 seats up for election this year have decided to retire or run for other offices, Tomblin believes he'll win his race and return with a stronger Democratic majority. Two others, one from each party, who are not up for re-election have indicated they plan to run for other offices and would give up their Senate seats if they win.

"I think it's going to be a strong Democratic year," the president said, noting Gov. Joe Manchin and U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., will be heading the statewide ticket.

Still, no matter the result, Tomblin expects "a lot of changes. It'll be a different makeup."

In the Senate Friday, senators voted to amend legislation changing the least amount of monetary damages that a person must have suffered in order to qualify for a circuit court hearing. Currently that amount is anything more than $300 and the bill (SB238) would raise that amount to more than $2,500.

Magistrate courts can hear civil cases up to $5,000 in value.

The bill will be up for passage Monday, along with four other bills.

In the House of Delegates, members passed 88-0 legislation (HB4019) that closes a loophole in the law allowing non-residents to file court litigation in West Virginia. The law had allowed if one person in a class of people was from the state, then all could qualify for a West Virginia court date.

Delegates also sent a bill (HB4053) back to the Judiciary Committee for further work. It would make using computer spyware on another's computer illegal.

Eight bills will be up for passage when the House reconvenes Monday.

To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.