By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — At the end of a marathon 11-hour session, the West Virginia Senate passed a bill Wednesday that will legalize medical marijuana. Known as the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, Senate Bill 386, passed in a 28-6 vote. The vote was postponed several[Read More…]

By KEN WARD JR. Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Senate on Wednesday evening approved a bill that makes relatively minor changes in West Virginia’s mine safety laws, but rewrites the state Department of Environmental Protection’s definition of a healthy stream to remove language that requires the DEP’s goal[Read More…]

By KEN WARD JR. Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Natural gas producers would be able to force holdout mineral owners to allow drilling, under an industry-backed bill that passed the West Virginia Senate on Wednesday and now heads for the House with a little more than a week left in[Read More…]

By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate approved a bill Wednesday evening that would establish the framework for medical marijuana to become available in West Virginia. The Senate approved Senate Bill 386, the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, by a 28-6 margin at 8:20 p.m. The[Read More…]

By RYAN QUINN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va .— By a hair, the West Virginia Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would cut state pre-K through 12 public education funding by $79.3 million and automatically raise counties’ regular levy property tax rates to make up for the loss. Senate Bill[Read More…]

By RYAN QUINN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia House of Delegates adjourned Wednesday evening without passing to the Senate a bill that would have extended the paydown period for the Teachers’ Retirement System debt and also granted a statewide pay raise for classroom teachers. “It is dead,”[Read More…]

By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates postponed action on a tax reform bill Wednesday, March 29, preferring to work on a tax bill passed earlier in the day by the state Senate. House Bill 2933, which would have lowered[Read More…]

By JIM ROSS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The bill that would allow for consolidation of drilling rights for natural gas passed the State Senate by a vote of 19-14 Wednesday with one member absent. The bill passed on “Crossover Day,” the legislative session deadline set in statute for[Read More…]

By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on Wednesday evening narrowly approved a bill that will cut state support to county school districts and increase property taxes to make up the difference. After about an hour of debate, Senate Bill 609 was approved Wednesday evening by[Read More…]

By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates voted Wednesday to begin the process of selling Hopemont Hospital in Preston County. Without a legislator to spare, HB 3102 passed via a 51-49 decision. Following the roll call, Wednesday’s legislation will join a similar bill passed by the House last week[Read More…]