By KEN WARD JR. Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia House Judiciary Committee members on Monday backed away from giving the natural gas industry a broad exemption from a 3-year-old chemical tank safety law. That law was passed after the Elk River spill that contaminated the drinking water for[Read More…]
Month: March 2017
Tax reform bill moves on in Charleston
By DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Senate Select Committee on Tax Reform approved its tax reform bill March 13, with a few amendments, morning and sent it to the Finance Committee. The revised bill changes how and when the personal income tax is phased out. Members[Read More…]
GOP announces plan that cuts $390M from existing WV budget
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s legislative leaders on Monday unveiled what they call the framework for their 2017-18 general revenue budget alternative, a budget capped at $4.055 billion — about $390 million less than the current state budget and $445 million below Gov. Jim Justice’s[Read More…]
Senate Tax Reform Committee ready with tax overhaul
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia Senate’s select committee on tax reform voted on a final state tax overhaul proposal on Monday, March 13 after several meetings to tweak the bill. The committee, appointed by Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, and chaired[Read More…]
Bills introduced March 13
The Dominion Post CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Here are some bills introduced March 13, along with two local bridge-naming resolutions. SB 592, to have an independent redistricting commission propose redistricting plans during census years. Sen. Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, co-sponsor. HB 2936, to require competitive bidding for all state purchases of commodities,[Read More…]
Budget battle heats up
By EMILY DANIELS The Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Majority leaders in the West Virginia Legislature discussed an approach to balancing the state budget during a Monday press conference, which rivals Gov. Jim Justice’s introduced budget bill in several ways. The budget plan revealed by Speaker of the House Tim Armstead,[Read More…]
Democrats in Legislature eschew special session pay
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Democrats in the West Virginia House of Delegates and Senate say they’re on board with a proposal from Gov. Jim Justice that lawmakers not be paid if they’re forced to go into special session to pass a state budget. Justice, who[Read More…]
WV House, Senate budget plan would force state to ‘live within its means’
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal Republican leaders of the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates released a “budget framework” on Monday, March 13 that would include no more spending than last year’s budget. “The fundamental principle is spend no more than you have,” said Senate President Mitch Carmichael,[Read More…]
Tax overhaul progresses, despite poor projections
By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After several rounds of edits and ominous cost projections from state revenue representatives, the Senate Select Committee on Tax Reform voted Monday to send its overhaul bill up to the full senate and off to its finance committee. Should it pass, the[Read More…]
Senate passes bill to cut DMV appeals office over objections
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislation to eliminate the Division of Motor Vehicles’ Office of Administrative Appeals (SB 212) advanced from the Senate Monday on a 27-7 vote, over objections that it could allow drunk drivers to keep their driver’s licenses. Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Trump, R-Morgan,[Read More…]