By DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As senators debated their version of the state budget April 5, Sen. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, made an observation about the nature of the debate. “This is political theater dealing with the budget.” The Senate budget bill, SB 199, passed, 20-14. As[Read More…]
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Protect West Virginia members oppose House, Senate budget cuts
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Standing in front of the West Virginia Capitol, a grassroots advocacy group criticized budget proposals put forth by the House and Senate, saying cuts to programs could be devastating to the state’s future. Members of Protect West Virginia Wednesday discussed proposed cuts[Read More…]
W.Va. nonprofit group talks about state budget crisis
By WENDY HOLDREN The Register-Herald The Mountain State didn’t wind up with its $500 million budget deficit overnight. Ted Boettner, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the state’s budget crisis arose from two central reasons: tax cuts and a severe decline in the coal industry. “We’re facing[Read More…]
WV Senate president: ‘We’re going to run’ governor’s K-12 bill
By RYAN QUINN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The chairman of the West Virginia Senate Education Committee abruptly pulled Gov. Jim Justice’s wide-ranging K-12 education bill from his committee’s meeting agenda on Wednesday and said the bill is “dead.” But after the action and comments by Chairman Kenny Mann, R-Monroe,[Read More…]
Regional Education Service Agency Bill pulled from WV Senate Education Committee agenda
By JOSELYN KING The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register WHEELING, W.Va. — A bill that would eliminate West Virginia’s eight regional education service agencies was pulled off the agenda during a Senate Education Committee meeting Wednesday, leaving in doubt its viability in the closing days of the Legislature’s regular 2017 session.[Read More…]
Committee passes more stringent adolescent abortion bill, sends to floor
By ERIN BECK Charleston Gazette-Mail The state Senate Health and Human Resources Committee decided Wednesday evening to amend an abortion bill so that it once again requires minors to go to court for access to abortion. The original version of the bill, House Bill 2002, removed the ability of a physician to[Read More…]
‘Second chance’ employment bill sent to WV House floor
By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill designed to improve ex-convicts’ employment opportunities made it out of a House of Delegates committee Wednesday, but not until the bill was weakened by eliminating a provision that could have completely removed some felony charges from a person’s record. The[Read More…]
WV eyes ban on telemedicine abortion drugs
Staff, wire reports Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s Senate has voted to prohibit doctors from prescribing drugs that induce abortion by telemedicine. The bill passed by the House doesn’t include the prohibition on physicians remotely prescribing abortion drugs. The Senate bill, approved 34-0 on Tuesday, goes back to[Read More…]
Town hall meetings to focus on West Virginia budget
Staff reports The Parkersburg News and Sentinel PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — One of three public meetings to discuss the impact of the West Virginia budget talks on agencies and people will be held 6 p.m. today at the Judge Black Courthouse Annex at 315 Market St. Meetings also are scheduled in[Read More…]
Beverage Association, American Heart Association talk sugary beverage tax
By DANYEL VANREENEN The Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One organization supports the sugary drink tax because of potential health benefits, and the other condemns the proposed tax as discriminatory and inefficient –the West Virginia Beverage Association and the American Heart Association of West Virginia have very different opinions about the[Read More…]