By Lexi Browning For the West Virginia Press Association CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate’s Committee on Economic Development took steps Wednesday to aid the state’s workforce. The Committee passed Senate Bill 76, known as the Second Chance for Employment Act. It was one three bills passed by the committee. S.B. 76[Read More…]
Month: March 2017
Delegates host colleges for Higher Education Day
By JAKE JARVIS Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Higher Education Day at the West Virginia Capitol brought few answers for college presidents looking to learn how much their state appropriations might be cut in the coming year. As the House of Delegates honored several college presidents Thursday morning, a plan[Read More…]
Governor examines bill that reduces WV mine safety enforcement
By KEN WARD JR. Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice and his staff are examining proposed legislation that would strip West Virginia regulators of almost all their ability to enforce mine safety and health standards, and have yet to take a position on the bill. “We are reviewing[Read More…]
West Virginia Legislature goes to college
By JOCELYN KING The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee says across-the-board cuts to the state’s higher education funding would create “mediocrity”at a time when leaders should be looking to support institutions that create jobs and are the biggest employers in the state.[Read More…]
Justice touts plan to rebuild WV infrastructure
By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch HUNTINGTON, W.Va. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice returned to his alma mater Wednesday to push his infrastructure plan for the Mountain State, as a bill that would help finance his plan advanced in the state Senate. Justice stood in the structures lab of the Arthur Weisberg[Read More…]
Economic development groups oppose West Virginia Certificate of Need bill
By JANET METZNER The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Record WHEELING, W.Va. — Economic development groups continue criticizing Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns’ bill that would eliminate West Virginia’s certificate of need program regulating who provides which health care services throughout the state. For example, Craig O’Leary, program director of the Regional[Read More…]
Budget discipline overdue
The Weirton Daily Times editorial In some politicians’ minds, the essence of a good government budget is that it contains goodies for just about everyone. Work up the courage to take some of them out — off taxpayers’ backs — and you can be in big trouble at election time.[Read More…]
Bill advances to eliminate agency for surplus property
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill that would eliminate the state agency for surplus property advanced through a House committee. The House Committee on Government Organization took up House Bill 2819 in its Wednesday meeting. Under the bill as amended, the Department of Administration would act[Read More…]
House OKs bill to close surplus property division
Staff reports Charleston Gazette-Mail The West Virginia House of Delegates advanced a bill Wednesday that would eliminate the state’s surplus property division, which disposes and sells off older state-government-owned equipment and vehicles. Under the bill, individual state agencies would take over that responsibility in 2018. The state would hire an[Read More…]
Cabell delegate wants state to alleviate jail bill burden
By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One Cabell County legislator is a sponsor of two bills he says will help cut down on the county’s jail bill and help protect first responders. One bill that Del. Chad Lovejoy is a sponsor of, House Bill 2845, would defer some of[Read More…]