Tax Day Relief for Working Families Yesterday at the state Capitol, legislators joined the Invest in Working Families Coalition to call for support for a West Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Delegates Rohrbach (R-Cabell) and Guthrie (D-Kanawha) spoke about the bill they sponsored during the 2016 Legislative Session. "Over 2,900 families in my district get…
Budget Beat
Eight Ways Legislators Can Balance the Budget West Virginia does not yet have a budget for the upcoming fiscal year which starts on July 1. Governor Tomblin is expecting to call legislators in for a special session but no date has been announced. At issue is how to bridge the $239 million budget shortfall. The…
Recap of the 2016 Legislative Session As the dust settles from the 2016 Legislative Session, here's a look at some of the bills that were passed, and some that weren't. Here are some highlights: The legislature passed, and the governor signed, HB 4013 that requires voters to present an ID to vote. While voter ID…
With One Week to Go, Important Bills Still Under Consideration Today the House Finance Committee ended any hopes of raising the state's tobacco tax this session. The Senate had passed a $1/pack increase but after reducing it back to the governor's proposed 45-cents/pack, the House Finance Committee failed to pass the bill. Some delegates wanted…
Tomorrow in the House Chamber Legislators have begun their consideration of five pieces of legislation that would call upon Congress to hold a Constitutional Convention. The bills are HB 4449, HB 2424, SCR 4, SCR 10 and HCR 36. Supreme Court Justices and prominent legal scholars on both sides of the aisle agree there is no…
This Week at the Capitol: Session at Half-Way Mark "Right-to-Work" and Prevailing Wage On Thursday, Governor Tomblin vetoed both the repeal of the prevailing wage and the Right To Work bill. Today, both the House and Senate voted to override both vetoes. Both measures now become law. Drug Testing On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB…
"Right to Work" and Repeal of Prevailing Wage Both Pass Full Legislature Yesterday, after five hours of debate, the so-called "Right to Work" legislation passed the full House of Delegates with a 54-46 vote. The bill is now in the hands of Governor Tomblin. Also passed yesterday was a bill to repeal the state's prevailing…
Join Us at the Capitol This Week This Thursday, January 28, join us for Kids and Families Day at the state Capitol hosted by the Our Children, Our Future campaign. This is one special day each year when hundreds of everyday kids, families and community leaders make their voices heard. Join us under the Rotunda…
Great Discussion, Free Lunch, What Are You Waiting For? Registration Closes Today! Join us for a free event to learn more about the economic impacts of a West Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). When: January 11 from 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM Where: Embassy Suites, downtown Charleston Who: Financial education practitioners, researchers and stakeholders,…
The climate change talks in Paris were big news this week, as well as a jury verdict in the Don Blankenship trial. They both have coal in common and the huge role it plays in our local communities and the global stage. When the nation and the world think of West Virginia, coal is as much…