Tag: Matthew Rohrbach

Justice Signs Tax Bill Into Law, Lawmakers Discuss PEIA Changes

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Gov. Jim Justice signed House Bill 2526 into law today. The bill includes a 21.25 percent tax cut across all six income brackets, with the governor’s office calling it the largest tax cut in state history. Government reporter Randy Yohe has the story.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Gov. Jim Justice signed House Bill 2526 into law Tuesday. The bill includes a 21.25 percent tax cut across all six income brackets, with the governor’s office calling it the largest tax cut in state history. Government reporter Randy Yohe has the story.

With the signing of the bill, lawmakers have taken a significant step towards finalizing a budget. However, there are still some coronavirus relief monies yet to be appropriated, and significant debate on how to use them. Reporter Chris Schulz has more.

Yohe also sits down with Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, and House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, to discuss changes to the Public Employees Insurance Agency as Senate Bill 268 has passed through both chambers and is on the way to the governor’s desk. 

It was also deaf awareness day at the Capitol, an event of understanding and education for all West Virginians. 

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

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.

Understanding Proposed Changes To PEIA

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Chris Schulz speaks with Fred Albert, president of AFT-WV, and Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, the deputy speaker of the House, about proposed changes to PEIA.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the Senate passed a bill over the weekend making changes to the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA). Like health insurance everywhere, expenses keep increasing, but the state program hasn’t kept up, causing some state hospitals to declare that they would no longer accept the program.

The bill that has headed to the House of Delegates includes premium increases, which Gov. Jim Justice has previously said he would not accept. Reporter Chris Schulz speaks with Fred Albert, president of AFT-WV, and Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, the deputy speaker of the House, to understand the bill.

Also, a public hearing in the House chamber Tuesday morning focused on a bill that would enhance oversight of the West Virginia Fusion Center.

A bill that changes how candidates for office across the state announce their intent drew close to an hour of discussion on the Senate floor. Chris Schulz has more.

The House of Delegates approved House Bill 3270, which would amend the deliberate intent statute to limit non-economic damages to $500,000 in these kinds of cases.

There was also spirited debate in the House chamber on House Bill 2953, a locality pay study bill meant to retain in-state employees now crossing the borders – but it failed by vote of 42 to 56.

Finally, Tuesday was E Day, or Environmental Day, at the state legislature. Various statewide and local organizations came to lobby lawmakers on a variety of issues. Some came as individuals representing concerns specific to communities. A few lawmakers stood with them. Energy and Environment Reporter Curtis Tate brings us this story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

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.

House Pushes to Keep 'Certificate of Need' in W.Va.

A legislative audit released earlier this year encouraged lawmaker to get rid of the state’s certificate of need process. A Certificate of Need is essentially approval from the state to open a new hospital, clinic or health related facility. Senators have introduced bills to get rid of the process, but delegates are trying to save it.

More than 30 states have a Certificate of Need process like West Virginia. It’s meant to prevent the inflation of health care costs by limiting the services provided in a geographic area based on need.

Two bills have been introduced into the Senate this session to completely remove the certificate of need process, eliminating the West Virginia Health Care Authority, but in the House members are attempting to clean up the certificate process through House Bill 2459. 

Delegate Matthew Rohrbach, a Republican from Cabell County, is a sponsor of the bill.  As a doctor, Rohrbach says he understands that getting rid of the process might increase competition in the healthcare system in West Virginia.  

“Some states have done away with CON that are bordering us,” Rohrbach said, “and unfortunately that’s created an unfair advantage for some of our border states against our local hospitals that are providing care to our patients and they’re employing our citizens.”

Rohrbach says, though, other states that have gotten rid of the approval process have faced challenges too.

“In Pennsylvania in particular, they’ve had a lot of problems when they’ve dropped their CON, with the expansion of services, volume has went down, and they’ve had some quality problems.”

Both of the Senate bills to repeal the certificate of need process are sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns, a physical therapist and business owner from the northern panhandle. While neither of the Senate bills have been considered by the Senate’s Health and Human Resources Committee yet, Del. Rohrbach calls the House bill a fair compromise that balances healthcare access for rural communities with the quality of service provided.

House bill 2459 passed 98 to 1 Monday and moves on to the Senate.

Delegates Pass Telemedicine Bill to Help Rural Areas

Delegates have approved a bill that its sponsors hope will expand access to mental and behavioral health medications.

House Bill 2509 allows physicians to prescribe certain controlled substances through telemedicine technologies – like over a video call. Doctors are currently prohibited from prescribing certain types of medications over telemedicine systems, including narcotics like oxycodone and morphine—drugs that have been abused in recent years in the state.

Cabell County Delegate Matthew Rohrbach says while curbing the state’s opioid epidemic is a major focus for lawmakers, this specific bill does not affect those efforts. It still prohibits doctors from prescribing opioids, but would allow prescriptions for behavioral or mental health issues.

“We have a tremendous problem with access to mental health providers, particularly for our pediatric population,” Rohrbach explained, “So, ADHD is the main thing that this is gonna seek to close, so kids that have ADHD can be treated via telehealth to get their aderol and other prescriptions for such, so this is not to allow pill mills; this is really to extend for our mental health providers a way to service our clients in rural areas.”

House bill 2509 passed 95 to 4 Monday. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

Lawmakers Begin Pushing for State Earned Income Tax Credit

While lawmakers discuss ways to fix the state’s projected budget deficit, a related piece of legislation is beginning to take shape — the creation of a state earned income tax credit.

An earned income tax credit, or EITC, is an extra lump of cash refunded to low-income, working families every year at tax time. The amount a family receives varies, but it’s based on a person’s income and the number of children in the home, but only working adults qualify. The credit is meant to help struggling families get ahead and many use the extra funds to make major purchases like cars, or large appliances.

West Virginians are currently eligible for a federal EITC, but the state doesn’t offer its own. Twenty-six other states and the District of Columbia offer EITCs, according to the national Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Delegate Matthew Rohrbach, a Republican from Cabell County, is pushing a state EITC in the House.

“We’ve got to get our workforce participation level up,” Rohrbach said, “but it’s important to support these families as they do it.”

But with such a large budget gap to fill for fiscal year 2018, nearly $500 million, the credit would only increase the budget gap, costing the state between $60 and $80 million, according to most estimates.

Still, to balance next year’s budget, Governor Jim Justice has proposed almost $30 million in cuts and $450 million in tax increases. It’s for this reason Rohrbach says creating a state EITC is imperative.

“If those taxes do get increased as he sees, I would hope that we would realize a lot of the taxes he’s proposed are consumption taxes; that will hit the people at the bottom levels of our economy the hardest,” he noted.

Rohrbach’s bill has bi-partisan support in the House. A similar bill is in the works for the Senate.

Exit mobile version