House, Senate Approves Budget Bill

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Wednesday this week marked Crossover Day, the last day to consider bills in their chamber of origin, and next week is the final week in the 60-day West Virginia Legislative session. Nearly 2,800 bills were introduced this year. It remains to be seen just how many pass. Lawmakers have until Saturday, March 14 at midnight to work through those bills.

The state budget was the focal point this week. Thursday night, the House of Delegates concurred with final tweaks made by the Senate earlier that morning to increase Hope Scholarship funding, covering five quarters of payments into the 2027-2028 school year, trim road paving, and for the first time, fund the Flood Resiliency Fund.

During the very minutes the Senate took its vote on the budget bill, News Director Eric Douglas was speaking with Kelly Allen, the executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the budget and tax cuts. While some of the questions raised in the interview have now been answered, what remains is how they will play out for the state. Allen mentioned she hoped the budget compromise discussions would play out in public, but it those discussions were held in private. 

Also, in this show, West Virginia University (WVU) News student reporter Lilly Reisenweber spoke with lawmakers and Monongalia County Board of Education officials to see how the Third Grade Success Act is working, and how it is changing elementary education.

And, our student reporters Nevaeh Siggers and Jenna Walker report on bills related to Child Protection Services (CPS) that were introduced in both chambers this session.

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 every Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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