In the House’s morning session, legislators passed a changed version of Senate Bill 1006 in a 59-32 vote. The Senate took up the bill later that evening, changing it back to the original version, and passing it in a 23-4 vote.
This bill increases the DMV fees and increases the “privilege tax” for purchasing a car from 5 percent to 6 percent. It also increases the floor of the wholesale gas tax by 3.5 cents per gallon.
The bill would raise the registration fee to $40. The original amount under the bill would have been $50 but lawmakers adopted an amendment by Delegate Linda Longstreth in a close vote of 49-40, to decrease that fee to $40.
House Finance Chair Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, said many of the DMV fees have not changed in 10 to 40 years. He said the bill would have brought in $125 million before the adoption of the amendment to change the registration fee. Now, he estimated the bill would bring in about $110 million.
When the Senate took up the bill later that evening, lawmakers adopted an amendment to change back the registration fees to the way it was before.
The House concurred to the Senate’s change in a 60-24 vote and passed the bill in a 54-32 vote.
The House also took up the other part of the governor’s roads plan Friday night in Senate Bill 1003.
This bill, as amended by the House dealt with the West Virginia Parkways Authority. House Finance Chair Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, explained the bill removed a limitation allowing the authority to issue its own revenue bonds in any amount subject to limits of the amount of toll revenue set and collected by the authority.
These funds could only be used for road maintenance and acquisition, not economic development or tourism, Nelson said. This wouldn’t be just for the turnpike but any roads adjacent, Nelson said.
Nelson said the bill also would establish a single fee toll program, which would be optional. The fee could not exceed $25 for that program. Out-of-state residents could purchase the plan as well, Nelson said.
Nelson said the bill allows for the opportunity of new tolls. However, he said no existing road may be tolled. He said a new road, the widening of an existing road or a new bridge are examples of what could be tolled.
— Email: [email protected]; follow on Twitter @AndreaLannom
