WVCBP in the News

February 1, 2026 by WVCBP
WV School District Struggles to Pay Its Teachers

MSN - Some West Virginia lawmakers are proposing allocating $8 Million in emergency funding to Hancock County schools. It comes after the district announced last month it didn’t have the money to pay its teachers. Read the full article. A new survey from the Hunt Institute shows strong voter support for teachers. The pandemic spawned concerns from…

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January 29, 2026 by Sean O'Leary
WV Bill Offering Tax Break for Data Centers, Tech Firms Drawing Heavy Opposition

Charleston Gazette-Mail, GovTech - Public outcry over West Virginia political leaders’ pursuit of data center development has reached a fever pitch in recent months, with residents protesting and filing legal challenges against expected data center projects in Mason, Mingo and Tucker counties. Read the full article. But state lawmakers are ramping up their data center…

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January 28, 2026 by Tamaya Browder
As West Virginia Schools Face Financial Crisis, House Consultants Recommend Rethinking School Funding and Hope Scholarship

Mountain State Spotlight, My Buckhannon - Just days before the West Virginia Department of Education took over another school district, lawmakers were told they should cap private education scholarships based on need and better fund public schools. Read the full article. Clicking through a PowerPoint presentation, RAND Corporation policy analysts Benjamin Master and Brian Phillips told…

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January 24, 2026 by WVCBP
Statehouse Beat: Tax, Program Cuts Not Growing WV Economy, Population

Charleston Gazette-Mail - West Virginia has a people problem. From its counties to its cities and towns, and particularly its school systems, the state simply doesn’t have sufficient population for many of these institutions to operate effectively. Read the full article. Consider that the largest high school in West Virginia, Morgantown High School, has about…

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January 23, 2026 by WVCBP
West Virginia Senate Passes Bill Increasing Penalties, Parole Timelines for Murder

West Virginia News - The West Virginia Senate on Friday passed a bill increasing criminal penalties and extending parole eligibility timelines for some of the state’s most serious violent crimes, including second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. Read the full article. Senate Bill 137 passed on a 30-2 vote, with one member absent and not voting.…

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January 22, 2026 by Sean O'Leary
‘Pump the brakes on these tax cuts’ — Policy Expert Decries Gov. Morrisey’s Six-year plan

Exponent-Telegram - The Office of Governor Patrick Morrisey recently released its six-year financial plan through fiscal year 2031. Starting in fiscal year 2028, the financial plan anticipates shortfalls of between $200 million and $400 million for four years totaling more than $1.2 billion in uncovered expenses. Read the full article. These shortfalls are the result…

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January 22, 2026 by Kelly Allen
Morrisey’s Tax Cut Bait-and-switch

West Virginia MetroNews, Charleston Gazette-Mail - Governor Morrisey started the 2026 legislative session with a bait-and-switch. Read the full article. During his State of the State address last Wednesday night, he proposed cutting income taxes by ten percent. His language to lawmakers and the public was specific: “I am asking the legislature to pass a ten…

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January 22, 2026 by Kelly Allen
West Virginia Obamacare Enrollments Drop as Premiums Spike

West Virginia Watch - With monthly premiums spiking for many, about 10,000 fewer West Virginians signed up for health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare.gov marketplace this year compared to last, according to preliminary data released this week by the federal government. Read the full article. As of the first week of January, 55,127 state residents had…

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