Last month, the Department of Labor published a proposal to set the salary threshold under which almost all workers are entitled to overtime pay to $679 per week, or $35,308 for a full-year worker, in 2020. While an increase in the overtime salary threshold is long overdue, the current proposal would leave behind millions of workers…
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Click here to see our full comments on the USDA’s proposed rule. SNAP plays a critical role for food security in West Virginia, where 14.6 percent of the population is food insecure. In Fiscal Year 2017, SNAP reached 19 percent of the population, or 340,000 residents. Children who receive SNAP in early childhood see improved…
The State Supreme Court heard several cases earlier this month on oil and natural gas property taxes that could have a significant impact on local government and school district finances, and also potentially impact the state budget. At issue is how the State Tax Department calculates production expenses on natural gas wells. When valuing oil and…
Our annual Summer Policy Institute brings together highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students for a three-day immersive learning experience. This year’s SPI will be held from July 26- 28 at WV State University in Institute, WV. Participants will: -Learn about vital policy issues affecting West Virginians. -Network with fellow students and policymakers from state government,…
The 2019 Legislative Session ended last week, with the state budget passed a day early. While every year, the budget undergoes some changes from the governor’s proposal to the final product, this year saw relatively few changes. The FY 2020 budget proposed by Governor Justice includes new spending initiatives and pay raises while avoiding spending cuts…
The 2019 regular legislative session ended this past Saturday. Overall, it was one of the more successful legislative sessions in recent years, all things considered. There were also a string of disappointments along with some surprising victories and the defeat of many bad bills. On the fiscal side, most of the regressive tax policy legislation…
West Virginia has a unique opportunity to lead the way in providing paid leave benefits to all workers. A bipartisan group of Senators has introduced SCR 41, which would instruct the legislature to study the costs, benefits, and implementation of creating a paid family and medical leave program in West Virginia. Although there is bipartisan…
On Crossover Day, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed two bills that have the intended purpose of boosting coal production and putting coal miners back to work. Unfortunately, they chose to do so in a very ineffective and expensive way, through cuts and rebates to the severance tax. HB 3142 would cut the severance…
This blog post was written by Jesse Cross-Call, Senior Policy Analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. West Virginia’s House is expected to vote today on House Bill 3136, which would likely take Medicaid coverage away from at least 46,000 non-elderly adults who can’t meet proposed work requirements. Read blog post. The bill…
House Income Tax Cut Plan Mostly Benefits Wealthy and Puts Large Holes in the State Budget (HB 3137)
On Wednesday, the House Finance Committee originated HB 3137 that would reduce the state's five personal income tax rates by a half of a percentage point (0.5%) each time a newly created "personal income tax reduction fund" that is funded by online sales taxes and lottery revenues reaches a balance of $200 million. Since higher-income…