By CHARLIE BOOTHE Bluefield Daily Telegraph CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A local legislator said a budget will be hashed out this week in Charleston before this legislative session closes April 8, but the details remain “in flux.” Del. Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer County, has been spending long hours in the finance committee[Read More…]
Government
SNAP asset test bill takes flak at hearing
By JAKE ZUCKERMAN Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill designed to impose an asset test on applicants for government assistance programs received a near-unanimous shellacking during a public hearing Monday. Senate Bill 60, which the Senate passed last week, yielded comments from 19 audience members in the chambers of[Read More…]
State Republican Party comes out against medical marijuana bill
By ERIN BECK Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Republican Party asked its members in the House of Delegates to vote no on a bill, up for second reading Monday, that would permit the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in the state. The letter, which is from the[Read More…]
Senate Finance Committee presented with leadership budget
By ASHTON MARRA West Virginia Public Broadcasting CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Senators on the chamber’s Finance Committee were given their first look at the body’s proposed budget bill Monday, April 3, which the chamber’s finance chairman says relies almost solely on cuts to find a balance. This Senate budget largely relies[Read More…]
House advances changed tax reform bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A House committee advanced to the floor Monday a bill dealing with broadening and lowering the sales tax rate. Questions surfaced in an afternoon floor session about whether a bill was passed to the full House dealing with broadening and lowering the[Read More…]
Governor anticipates special session to balance budget
By WENDY HOLDREN The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With only five days remaining in the regular Legislative session, Gov. Jim Justice criticized West Virginia lawmakers at a press conference Monday for failing to balance the state’s budget. “I thought we were really close, but we’re not,” Justice said. While he[Read More…]
Medical pot bill amended, now prohibits smoking, growing own plants
By ERIN BECK Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill that would permit the use of medical marijuana, which was on second reading in the West Virginia House of Delegates, was amended on Monday so that it no longer allows patients to grow their own plants, prohibits smoking, and sets[Read More…]
House of Delegates approves amendments to medical marijuana bill
By RUSTY MARKS The State Journal CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia could be on the verge of legalizing the medical use of marijuana. The movement came after a 4 1/2-hour debate in the House of Delegates that ended at about 11 p.m. Monday. The House agreed late in the afternoon[Read More…]
House takes up medical marijuana bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON — After several hours of debate over two amendments, the West Virginia House approved a more restrictive change to a bill that would legalize medical marijuana and advanced the bill to a third reading today. Delegate John Shott, R-Mercer, described his amendment as “putting a[Read More…]
Medical marijuana makes progress in House
By DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates spent about three hours late April 3 debating two alternate new versions of the medical cannabis bill, SB 386. In a 51-48 vote, they chose a Republican leadership version about three times as long and far different[Read More…]
