West Virginia legislative goals outlined for media, residents

Newspaper industry video program offers summaries, allows you to watch the discussions

WV Press Staff Reports

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the West Virginia Legislative session started, state residents can study the plans and monitor the actions of legislative leaders.

From funding for tourism, changes in the regional jail system, mental health care for children to the budget, tax cuts, economic development and the State of the State, West Virginia Press Insight features government officials addressing the issues.

The newspaper industry’s video news program offers the news as you want it: short 3-minutes sumary clips, a 20-minute program, or links to the full presentations from legislative leaders and Governor Jim Justice. Click on the links or visit WV Press Association on YouTube to see full panel discussions.

This program looks at the following (clink on topic for related video)

• Governor Jim Justice’s State of the State Speech

• Goals of Senate President Mitch Carmichael and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw

• Legislative plans to attractive business and industry and increase economic development to West Virginia

• State efforts and legislative plans to combat the issues resulting from substance abuse and the demands substance abuse places on the state’s foster care system

• Legislative plans to eliminate the inventory tax in West Virginia

• WVU’s program for training service dogs

• New AARP state president Jane Marks

• Tourism funding for 2020

Recently media from across the state gathered in Charleston for the WV Press Legislative LookAhead. The event was live-streamed and recorded to give the public access to the legislative panels.

See the full panel discussions at the links below:

Senator Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, President of the W.Va. Senate; Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, Speaker of the W.Va. House of Delegates, discuss the House and Senate initiatives for the 2020 Legislative Session.

Senator Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, Senator Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, and Delegate Mick Bates, D-Raleigh, discuss the state’s budget and tax plans and needs for 2020.

West Virginia DHHR Cabinet Secretary Bill Couch, Sen. Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, and Delegate Matt Rohrbach, R-Cabell, discussed what progress has been made on the drug problem and the impact on families and the state’s foster care system.

W.Va. Commerce Secretary Ed Gaunch, Senator Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, Delegate Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, and Delegate Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, discuss how West Virginia does and can support economic development.

In the WVU feature, April Kaull looks at a three courses at the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design that – in partnership with Hearts of Gold – focus on training service dogs and how they’re changing lives.

WV Press Insight also looks at Governor Jim Justice’s State of the State speech. In the AARP feature, AARP’s new state volunteer president Jane Marks. She talks about the upcoming session and the AARP volunteer team.

And in the Tourism segment, Senate President Carmichael and House Speaker Hanshaw discuss legislative plans for funding the West Virginia Tourism Office in 2020.