On this West Virginia Morning, drinking water in Wyoming County is making people sick but it’s unclear who is responsible. Also, a look at voter concerns ahead of May’s primary election.
On this West Virginia Morning, drinking water in Wyoming County is making people sick. But it’s unclear who is responsible for the creek’s pollution, or when residents will have clean water.
Also, with West Virginia primary elections in about three weeks, government reporter Randy Yohe gauges voter concerns and readiness before they head to the polls.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.
Chris Schulz produced this episode.
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On this episode of The Legislature Today, we conclude our daily coverage for the 2023 legislative session with one last reporter roundtable. Randy Yohe, Chris Schulz, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate are all on the set together to discuss bills that have passed and the bills that are left.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, we conclude our daily coverage for the 2023 legislative session with one last reporter roundtable. Randy Yohe, Chris Schulz, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate are all on the set together to discuss bills that have passed and the bills that are left.
Both chambers traditionally work until midnight Saturday night as they work out differences on bills and try to get last minute pieces of legislation passed.
Things grew contentious in the Senate Friday morning as Sen. Robert Karnes, R-Randolph, demanded to be recognized on the chamber floor as the first bill of the day was introduced. Chris Schulz has more.
A bill to set the minimum age for marriage in West Virginia at 18 appeared dead in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday but it got new energy when committee chairman Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan, moved Thursday to have the bill removed from his committee and brought before the full body. The bill is on third reading in the Senate, but as of our deadline, the bill has not been taken up.
The Senate is also poised to pass House Bill 2007. That legislation would restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youth. On Thursday, LGBTQ rights groups and their allies came to the Capitol to protest the bill. Curtis Tate has that story.
Meanwhile in the House, a bill to help charter schools garnered plenty of debate and a bill focused on a recovery house pilot program was called life a life-or-death measure. Randy Yohe has the story.
The House also passed the state budget Friday morning after the Senate took up and amended its budget bill the previous evening. It’s now on its way to the governor’s desk.
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On Saturday, March 11, West Virginia Public Broadcasting will be broadcasting floor sessions throughout the day on the West Virginia Channel and on our YouTube channel.
At 8 p.m., join us for live coverage as we air our special “Final Hours” program of the 2023 legislative session.
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
The Senate passed the House of Delegates’ budget bill Thursday evening.
With the Senate’s passing of House Bill 2024, the legislature is one step closer to having a budget bill, the one constitutional mandate the lawmaking body has in its annual session.
With the Senate’s passing of House Bill 2024, the legislature is one step closer to having a budget bill, the one constitutional mandate the lawmaking body has in its annual session.
The Senate previously passed its own budget bill, Senate Bill 150, on Feb. 25.
Before passing the bill, the Senate approved a strike and insert amendment to House Bill 2024 aimed at bringing the two chambers’ budget proposals in line with each other.
One of the changes between the two bills is an increase in appropriations of more than $500 million from the general revenue fund, for a total appropriation exceeding $20.5 billion.
In response to a question from Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan, Senate Finance Chair Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, said he was confident this version would soon be on the governor’s desk.
“I think I’ve heard the answer to this question around the building, but this is agreed to now completely?” Trump asked. “In other words, it’s a House bill, I guess it has to go back there, but are we to understand that you’ve managed to convince them that they should accept what the Senate’s work product is?”
“That is very accurate,” Tarr replied. “I fully expect that as we pass this over. It’s gonna go right through there into the governor’s office.”
Trump concluded his statement by commending his colleagues in the Finance Committee for their work on the budget.
“We should not fail to note this is the fifth consecutive year when we will complete work on a budget within the 60-day regular session,” Trump said.
Historically, the legislature has reconvened in special session after the conclusion of the regular session to complete a budget. In 2016, the legislature narrowly approved the state’s 2017 fiscal year budget in June.
House Bill 2024 now returns to the House of Delegates for its approval.
West Virginia is on track to meet its budget estimates for this fiscal year.
In a press call with reporters, Revenue Secretary Dave Hardy said the state’s General Revenue Fund is 4.5 percent ahead of where it was this time last year – and overall budget estimates for this fiscal year are, so far, on target.
November saw nearly $300 million in increased revenue bringing the cumulative General Revenue Fund collections to more than $1.6 billion.
“I’m happy,” Hardy said, “I think the revenue projections are good for the people of West Virginia, and there’s certainly, hopefully, we’re beginning to see the making of a trend here, because we are 5/12 of the way through the fiscal year.”
There were some shortfalls in November collections, however – such as severance tax – which taxes coal, oil and natural gas. Severance taxes were down $3.5 million last month, but compared to last year, Hardy notes, it was up 19 percent from November 2016.
Hardy says collections in personal income, consumer sales, and corporate net receipts helped to offset November’s shortfalls.
The State Road Fund saw a big increase from the previous year – over 16 percent above prior year receipts. Hardy says this is due, in large part, to the increase in license plate fees, fuel tax, and a 1 percent sales tax enacted by the West Virginia Legislature.
A spokesman says Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will veto the Republican-led Legislature’s entire budget.
Spokesman Chris Stadelman said Friday that Tomblin will work with lawmakers on a plan that doesn’t mortgage West Virginia’s future.
Without a budget, the government shuts down July 1.
Tomblin has said he wouldn’t approve a plan dependent on one-time patches not addressing long-term problems. He offered several tax increase ideas.
GOP lawmakers passed a plan Thursday to cover a $270 million gap without raising taxes. It sweeps $245 million in one-time cash, including $183 million from reserves.
Both political parties traded expected election-year blame.
Tomblin called lawmakers into session May 16. It lasted 13 days and cost taxpayers $455,000. Lawmakers didn’t pass a budget in the allotted 60-plus-days starting in January.
The Republican-led Legislature has approved taking $51.8 million from reserves to avoid late payments amid a grim budget.
Tuesday’s 96-2 House vote sends the measure to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, who proposed it. Senators passed it unanimously.
West Virginia expects a $384 million 2016 budget gap. The Democratic governor’s office said if the bill doesn’t pass early this week, the state risks delays in paying some bills.
Delegates rejected a Democratic amendment Monday to move money to address $120 million in cuts to state employee and retiree health benefits next budget.
With bills due immediately, Republicans called the amendment political pandering.
Tomblin spokesman Chris Stadelman said it’s unnecessary to amend the bill for 2016 to assist 2017 benefits.
Tomblin has proposed increasing tobacco taxes to mitigate health plan cuts.
