By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice vetoed a bill Friday that would have allowed adjacent West Virginia counties to establish regional authorities to manage ATV trail systems, similar to the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority. The veto has drawn criticism from those who allege that Justice[Read More…]
Government
Closing Concord?: Delegates call Justice’s comments a political ploy
By CHARLIE BOOTHE Bluefield Telegraph BECKLEY, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice kicked a hornet’s nest when he said Monday that the GOP-proposed cuts to higher education would have meant closing Concord University and Fairmont State University. Justice made the comments at an editorial board meeting with Beckley’s Register-Herald. “If I[Read More…]
Governor signs “revenge porn” bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill that makes it a crime to knowingly and intentionally distribute a private image without consent has been signed by the governor. The measure has been referred to as the “revenge porn” bill. Gov. Jim Justice signed the bill into law on[Read More…]
Gov. Justice stops move to charge visitors to state parks
Staff, wire reports The Herald-Dispatch SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has stopped a pilot project to start charging entrance fees at seven West Virginia state parks and forests. Justice called the recent announcement of the fee by the Division of Natural Resources an “error.” “West Virginians[Read More…]
Gov. Justice vetoes bill creating regional recreational authorities
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice vetoed his sixth bill Monday — one that would have created a system for contiguous counties to establish regional recreation authorities. Senate Bill 28 would have authorized the creation of these regional authorities as a joint development entity formed by[Read More…]
New medical marijuana law could come with federal consequences
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — On April 19, Gov. Jim Justice signed into law Senate Bill 386, which makes West Virginia the 29th state to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. “We’ve done something that’s goodness in my opinion,” Justice said at the time,[Read More…]
BUDGET BATTLE: Avoiding shutdown won’t be easy task
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — No matter how southern West Virginia lawmakers felt about the budget itself, they had one thing in common. Most of the legislators interviewed were not shocked about the governor’s decision to veto the budget passed on the last night of the session.[Read More…]
Law to protect teens from tanning harms
By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill passed by the West Virginia Legislature earlier this month seeks to prevent teens from feeling the burn of tanning beds and the likely burn of skin cancer in the years to follow. With prom season in full swing and summer just[Read More…]
Governor signs medical marijuana bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON — Saying he was there to show basic compassion, Gov. Jim Justice signed into law the bill that makes West Virginia the 29th state to legalize medical marijuana. Justice signed the bill in a Wednesday ceremony with a few legislators in attendance, including Delegate[Read More…]
Governor signs 96 bills into law
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice has signed 96 bills into law so far, including one that changes age guidelines for children to start pre-K and kindergarten and another that would increase penalties for child abuse causing injury or death. Senate Bill 186 changes the[Read More…]
