FAIRMONT, W.Va. — As a piece of legislature known as Creating Coal Jobs and Safety Act of 2015 awaits Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s signature, one Marion County delegate has once again voiced his opinion on the bill.
On Wednesday, Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, a strong opponent of the bill, had a letter hand delivered to Tomblin that asked him to veto Senate Bill 357.
Caputo said he wrote the letter to Tomblin because he feels the bill sends coal mining safety provisions backward that have been in place for many years.
“I think the governor needs to take a hard look at this so-called mine safety legislation because this is certainly not increasing mine safety,” Caputo said.
In asking Tomblin to veto the bill, Caputo writes in the letter, “I am saddened and angry that for the very first time during my tenure the Legislature has passed a bill to roll back mine safety.”
In the letter, Caputo claims that the bill “strips away necessary and life-saving mine safety regulations.”
Caputo said Tomblin needs to make a statement by vetoing the bill…