Senate Repeals Prevailing Wage on Party-Line Vote

The West Virginia Senate has approved a bill to repeal the state’s prevailing wage on a party line vote. The bill now heads to Governor Tomblin for a signature.

Lawmakers voted 18-16 Thursday with only Republicans supporting the legislation.

The prevailing wage is the rate of hourly pay and benefits for workers on state-funded construction projects. Members of the GOP majority say the blanket rate artificially inflates wages and repeal will save taxpayers money.

Democrats, however, maintain the repeal will hurt West Virginia workers.

Tomblin has previously said he will veto the repeal bill.

“Obviously, I’m outnumbered, [but] my position has not changed,” Tomblin said of the repeal. The governor also spoke out against a proposed repeal during the 2015 session.

According to the state Constitution, Tomblin has 5 days, not including Sundays, to sign or veto the legislation. It takes only a simple majority vote of each chamber to override a veto.