By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael said Wednesday that Senate leaders are running the numbers on a teacher pay raise bill passed by the House of Delegates on Tuesday, after the House increased the proposed raise to 2 percent. “We are going[Read More…]
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West Virginia teachers and public employees claim proposed freeze is a procrastination tactic
By JORDAN NELSON The Register-Herald During the third and final hearing of the Public Insurance Agency finance board Wednesday evening, teachers and other state employees called the 17-month freeze proposed to fix premium structures with their PEIA coverage “a procrastination tactic to get through until the next election.” Gov. Jim Justice[Read More…]
Bill to dedicate $29 million from Rainy Day Fund to PEIA heads to West Virginia House floor
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A freshly minted bill that would dedicate $29 million from the Rainy Day Fund to the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) Premium Fund to freeze the plan cleared the House Finance Committee Wednesday and now heads to the full House. This money[Read More…]
West Virginia House Committee eyes Rainy Day Fund for PEIA boost
Staff reports The Parkersburg News and Sentinel CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates Committee on Finance Wednesday originated and approved a bill that would immediately transfer $29 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to the Public Employees Insurance Agency to guarantee there would be no changes to employee[Read More…]
In West Virginia, teacher pay on par with part-time state, county elected officials
By CASEY JUNKINS The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register WHEELING, W.Va. — In West Virginia, the average public school teacher earns slighty more each year than an elected county commissioner and a state legislator. The difference? Both county commissioners and state lawmakers are part-time positions. While being responsible for the education[Read More…]
West Virginia House co-tenancy bill amendment would give funds to PEIA
By KATE MISHKIN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A controversial oil and gas bill now includes an amendment to put money toward the Public Employees Insurance Agency. House Bill 4268, known as the co-tenancy bill, would allow natural gas and oil companies to drill with the majority, or 75 percent, of[Read More…]
West Virginia House of Delegates advances co-tenancy bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While the Legislature figures out longterm revenue sources to fund the Public Employees Insurance Agency plan for teachers and state workers, a Democratic delegate from Randolph County has a plan — and his amendment narrowly passed in a 49-47 House vote Wednesday.[Read More…]
Senate spars over employer property bill
By RUSTY MARKS NCWV Media CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the state Senate got into a lengthy and sometimes heated debate Wednesday over a bill that would allow employers to charge employees for uniforms or equipment they don’t return when they leave. House Bill 2546, which was up for a vote[Read More…]
West Virginia House debates gas co-tenancy bill
By DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates spent nearly two hours on Feb. 14 debating amendments to HB 4268, the gas well mineral tract co-tenancy bill. Members rejected one offered by Delegates Barbara Evens Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, and Dave Pethtel, D-Wetzel, to raise the lease[Read More…]
Redistricting bill sent to West Virginia House floor without independent commission
By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A House of Delegates committee sent a bill to the floor Wednesday that would change the factors legislators use when drawing political district lines after each decennial census. The bill does not, however, create an independent commission to handle the redistricting process, as[Read More…]