Tag: Sen. Daniel Hall

Governor to Appoint Dem to Swing Senate Seat Saturday

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will appoint a Democrat to a swing Senate seat this weekend unless the state Supreme Court rules otherwise.

The Democratic governor’s court filing Friday says he’ll appoint a Democrat Saturday afternoon. Republicans have a 17-16 Senate majority.

Earlier Friday, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey asked the court to delay the appointment until it rules whether the replacement should be a Democrat or Republican.

The court will hear oral arguments about ex-Sen. Daniel Hall’s replacement Tuesday.

The former Wyoming County lawmaker was elected a Democrat in 2012 and turned Republican after the 2014 elections, breaking a tie for an 18-16 GOP majority. Hall recently resigned.

State law is ambiguous about replacing someone who flipped parties.

Tomblin’s court filings say appointing a Democrat upholds the will of the voters.

Wyoming County Senator Resigning to Take NRA Post

Wyoming County Senator Daniel Hall announced Tuesday he’ll resign from the position effective Jan. 3, 2016. Hall will leave the seat he’s held since 2012 to take a job as a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association covering many states, including West Virginia. 

Hall notably switched parties, from a Democrat to a Republican, the day after the 2014 mid-term election. The Senate had previously been a tied 17-17 and his switch gave Republicans control of the chamber for the first time in more than 80 years. 

During the 2015 session, Hall served as the Senate Majority Whip and the chair of the Senate’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Labor Committee. 

He previously served two terms in the House of Delegates. 

“The last nearly eight years I’ve spent serving the citizens of southern West Virginia have been eight of the best years of my life,” Hall said in a written statement Tuesday.

“It’s with mixed emotions that I leave to take this job, but I am excited about helping the NRA continue to advance Second Amendment rights for not just West Virginians, but for all Americans.”

Hall said Tuesday he would ask the West Virginia Ethics Commission for a written opinion on his lobbying West Virginia lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session.

After his resignation on Jan. 3, the Wymoning County Republican Executive Committee will have 15 days to nominate possible replacements for the seat. Governor Tomblin will then choose from those nominees.

School Attendance Drops on Snow Makeup Days

West Virginia counties that extended their school calendars into June to make up for snow days have experienced significant drops in attendance.  

The Charleston Daily Maily reports that state Sen. Daniel Hall of Wyoming has learned attendance in his district may have dropped below 10 percent this week.

Hall’s district includes Raleigh and Wyoming counties and part of McDowell. 

That time lost to snow days was made up by rescheduling the last day of school, which angered some parents, teachers and students.  This is the first year counties were permitted to extend the calendar to meet a requirement for 180-days of instruction. Hall wants state law to change so instruction time is based on minutes rather than days

The governor and education officials have defended the 180-day requirement.

Senator Supports Legislation Promoting Deer Farms

A Senate Committee saw controversy as House Bill 4286 was discussed.

The bill pulls the state deer farming program from the oversight of the Division of Natural Resources and puts it under the Department of Agriculture.

“The DNR has been doing everything in their power in recent years to squash that entire industry. They will not promote it, they’re trying to kill it,” said Sen. Daniel Hall in support of the legislation.

“We shouldn’t have to do what we’re doing, but in order to promote an industry, we’re trying to move it over to a department that has experience and knowledge in how to promote and regulate an agriculture industry and do it the right way.”

The state DNR has opposed the industry because they feel white tail deer are wild animals and should not be farmed.

Hall said the industry could diversify the economy of areas that are hurting, like southern West Virginia, and he’s calling for DNR Director Frank Jezioro’s resignation.
 

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