Single Member Redistricting, State Of The State And Democrats’ Expectations As 2023 Session Begins

On today’s episode of The Legislature Today, the 2023 session started as the Senate got down to business on opening day and suspended rules to pass 23 bills and send them to the House of Delegates. Most of these were bills the upper chamber passed last year, but for one reason or another didn’t become law.

The House of Delegates introduced nearly 500 bills on opening day, but all were sent to appropriate committees for consideration. Many will never move again.

Today, both chambers gaveled in for short sessions and introduced several more bills. Most were sent to committees, but the Senate did suspend its rules again and pass several more bills.

Government reporter Randy Yohe sat down with host Bob Brunner to discuss 2022’s election and redistricting. The amount of seats in the legislature is the same, but single member districts have changed its look, enhancing what was already a Republican supermajority.

Gov. Jim Justice also delivered his seventh State of the State address last night to a joint session of the legislature. Yohe also brought us a report on that.

We also hear from reporter Chris Schulz as he sits down with Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, and House Minority Leader Del. Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, to discuss what it is like to be in the minority and their expectations for the coming session.

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The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.