February 10 marks the beginning of West Virginia’s 85th Legislature, and with this session lawmakers will have the opportunity to build upon their 2020 criminal justice reform efforts. The following are the criminal justice priorities for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. Immediately Protect Incarcerated People and Correctional Facility Staff Evidence is clear…
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West Virginia’s local health departments have served as the cornerstone of public health initiatives for decades. Providing services such as immunization, family planning, harm reduction, environmental and food inspections, and much more, local health departments deliver a holistic approach to ensuring health and wellness for West Virginia residents across the state. They have been crucial…
Last week's blog post explored how eliminating the income tax in West Virginia would overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy, and that replacing just half the revenue lost with an increased sales tax would result in a substantial tax shift, with low- and middle-income West Virginians seeing a tax increase in order to pay for a tax…
West Virginia's Governor Justice and top lawmakers have expressed support for eliminating or reducing the state's income tax during the upcoming legislative session. The personal income tax is the state’s largest source of tax revenue, providing the state with $1.95 billion in FY 2020, which accounts for 43 percent of the state's general revenue fund.…
As COVID-19 cases rise across the country and throughout the state, West Virginia’s correctional facilities continue to be at heightened risk of outbreaks. Outbreaks are particularly concerning in these facilities because incarcerated people tend to have both more health challenges and less access to quality medical care than the general populace. With the state entering…
Statewide enrollment in West Virginia's public schools fell by 9,300 students this past year, as states across the country are seeing declining school enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Declining enrollment could mean budget cuts for school districts, even as schools struggle with the extra costs of improving remote learning offerings and adopting safety procedures…
One of the most significant bills passed during the 2020 legislative session is expected to go into effect on January 1, 2021. SB 648 adds a dental benefit to the state’s adult Medicaid program, extending this important coverage to an estimated 310,733 West Virginia adults. The legislation provides for each adult Medicaid recipient to be…
In March, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which established several programs that have since proved critical for stabilizing the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act's remaining provisions will expire on December 31, leaving Americans anxiously awaiting Congress's next economic relief package. But with no precise…
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, West Virginia law enforcement and corrections officials moved quickly to reduce jail and prison populations. And while the prison population has remained lower than normal, since April, the jail population has steadily increased and was more than 35 percent overcapacity as of November 12. Among the reasons for the burgeoning…
This blog was guest written for WVCBP by Jill Kriesky, former associate director of the Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project and author of our upcoming report on the cost of the addiction epidemic in Kanawha County. Someone, let’s say your sister, partner, or friend, gets hooked on opioids or stimulants, or a combination of both. We…