2016 Legislative Session Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Cigarette Tax Hike, Other West Virginia Laws Taking Effect

Cigarettes are getting more expensive in West Virginia.

To balance the state budget, West Virginia will raise its cigarette tax by 65 cents to $1.20 a pack starting Friday. E-cigarette and other tobacco product taxes will also increase. The hike is expected to raise $98 million annually.

The move helps fill a budget hole left by sputtering coal and low natural gas prices.

July 1 starts the budget year, and several other laws also are taking effect.

Coal and natural gas producers will get a tax break of $110 million combined. They had been paying surcharges to cover a workers’ compensation debt for years.

A right-to-work law is kicking in. New and updated collective bargaining agreements starting Friday can’t require workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.

In Right-to-Work Fight, Unions Spend $1.4 Million; Business, $375,000

While Republican West Virginia legislative leaders rammed a right-to-work bill into law this year, unions and business groups spent almost $1.8 million altogether battling over the policy.

Grassroots campaign reports say union groups spent $1.4 million in a failed bid to kill right-to-work. Pro-business groups spent about $374,500 to support the GOP on the policy abhorred by unions and Democrats. The fight was waged in TV ads and other media.

This winter, lawmakers approved the bill largely on party lines and Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed it. Then, needing only a simple majority, the GOP overrode Tomblin’s veto and made right-to-work the law.

The law says collective bargaining agreements struck July 1 or later can’t require workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.

Deadline for West Virginia State Worker Health Plans Ended Sunday

The deadline for state employees, retirees and teachers to sign up for or change health insurance plans ended on Sunday, May 15, 2016.

Sunday marked the last day to adjust Public Employees Insurance Agency benefits.

The plans offered for the 2017 fiscal year include $120 million in cuts, including higher copays, premiums and other costs for employees.

The cuts result from a budget shortfall. They could be at least partially restored if a state budget is passed. There would be another open enrollment.

Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has called the Republican-led Legislature into budget session Monday. The next budget year begins July 1.

Tomblin and lawmakers are negotiating tax increases, cuts and use of reserves to cover a $270 million gap.

House Speaker Tim Armstead says the budget will fully fund PEIA.

Tax Collections Below Estimates for March

West Virginia’s Secretary of Revenue Bob Kiss says there were few surprises for the state when it comes to tax collections in March, but not a lot of good news.

March 2016 saw no growth in personal income tax or sales tax revenue collections compared to March 2015. Severance tax collections were also down close to 40 percent compared to the same month in the previous year.

Total tax collections for March came in at just over $300 million, down about 11 percent from 2015. Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow says that’s about $28.6 million below the estimate for the month, and year to date, collections were nearly $150 million below estimates.

Muchow says the biggest deficit for March was the insurance premium tax, and the bright spot was the sales tax — where collections were 9 percent above prior year receipts, about $100,000 above estimates.

Tomblin Signs Voter ID, Automatic Voter Registration Bill

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has signed a bill that requires voters to show some form of identification before casting a ballot at his or her polling place as well as creates an an automatic voter registration process system.

The bill was the result of a conference committee on the final night of the session that negotiated an expanded list of the forms of identification. They include:

Any government issued ID or permit, with or without a photo, including a voter registration card
Any college or high school issued ID
A health insurance card
A utility bill
A bank card or bank statement
Verification of identification by another adult who has known the voter for at least 6 months, including a poll worker

The bill also requires the Secretary of State’s Office to work with the Division of Motor Vehicles to create an automatic voter registration system.
Currently, the DMV has an opt in voter registration policy that allows West Virginian to register to vote while applying for or renewing a license. The change would require West Virginians to opt out of the registration process.

On the final night of the session, Tomblin said he did not believe the requirement to provide some type of identification would place any additional burden on West Virginia voters.

The bill takes effect January 1, 2018.

Telling West Virginia's (Legislative) Story

This has been a wild and historic session of the West Virginia Legislature. And every step of the way, West Virginia Public Broadcasting has provided in-depth and comprehensive coverage.

For the first time, West Virginians could see in real time exactly how their laws are made on The West Virginia Channel.

And for the first time, floor sessions are being archived on You Tube, providing free access not just now, but into the future.

Anyone who has watched or heard “The Legislature Today” knows how good that show is. It takes an incredible amount of work and talent to pull it off (I know, I used to do it.)

And now, our coverage isn’t just on TV. It’s on radio, repackaged for newscasts and West Virginia Morning, and of course, on wvpublic.org.

Thanks to the people who you see and hear – Ashton, Beth, Liz, and Rob. And thanks for he many more people you don’t see, but are just as crucial – Jeff, Frosty, Chuck, Russ, Janet, Daniel and many, many more.

Except for education, telling the story of our government at work is our most important duty. I am proud to work with such a dedicated and talented team.