WVCBP in the News

February 11, 2019 by WVCBP
WV House Hosts Two Public Education Hearings

WOWK - The House chamber was packed for the first hearing, which began at 8 Monday morning. Dozens of educators, parents, administrators and lawmakers all debated both for and against the bill. The biggest concerns remain about school choice and items such as Education Savings Accounts and charter schools. Watch/read. "An aattck on all educators as…

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February 11, 2019 by WVCBP
Report: WV’s Shale Industry has Fallen Short of Economic Expectations

WV News - Experts say West Virginia’s oil and gas industry has failed to live up to economic expectations due to the falling price of natural gas, which has cut into the industry’s profits and under-delivered state tax revenues. Read full article. Although the state has experienced a sixfold increase in natural gas production in the…

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February 10, 2019 by WVCBP
WV Senate Explores Water Infrastructure Funding Fix

Charleston Gazette-Mail - With pipes from hundreds of water systems in the state continuing to crumble beneath residents’ feet as their expiration dates creep closer and closer, the West Virginia Senate is entertaining a bill — the first of its kind to be introduced in the Legislature — to try and tackle one of the…

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February 7, 2019 by WVCBP
Unequal Happy Hour Event Set Today to Highlight Gender Pay Gap

Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Boss Babes WV, WV Free, and the WV Center on Budget and Policy are partnering this week to host an Unequal Happy Hour to highlight the gender pay gap and to advocate for policies that would close the gap. The event will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb.7 at Sam's…

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February 4, 2019 by WVCBP
Boettner to Discuss W.Va.’s Economy at League of Women Voters Meeting

Parkersburg News and Sentinel - The executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy will discuss the economy in West Virginia at a meeting of the Wood County League of Women Voters 6 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Executive Conference Room on the second floor of the Parkersburg Municipal Building. Read full article.…

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February 3, 2019 by WVCBP
Kids of Many Charter School Backers in WV Senate Don’t Attend Public Schools

Huntington Herald-Dispatch - The administrator of a private religious school sponsored a bill that will let students use public dollars to pay to attend private religious schools. Read full article. The Senate Education chairwoman, who home-schools her five children, sponsored the bill as well, which critics say will taper funds away from cash-strapped public schools. At…

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February 2, 2019 by WVCBP
Delegates call Social Security Vote Delivery on Campaign Promise

WV Metro News - The state House of Delegates approved its bill on Friday to exempt Social Security retirement benefits from state income tax and sent it to the Senate. Read full article. HB 2001 gives retirees age 65 and up, or taxpayers of any age permanently and totally disabled two options: exclude Social Security benefits…

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January 29, 2019 by WVCBP
Recreational Cannabis: Good or Bad for Business in WV?

WV News - While West Virginia may be moving forward in developing medical cannabis and industrial hemp, the same cannot be said for recreational marijuana. Read. Last year’s session of the Legislature saw advancements regarding industrial hemp that could provide a new use for reclaimed mines, with former boxer and entrepreneur Mike Tyson looking to get…

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January 29, 2019 by WVCBP
Lawmakers Look at Bills to Decriminalize Marijuana

WSAZ TV - Lawmakers in both Kentucky and West Virginia are considering bills that would make marijuana less of a crime. Watch/Read. In Kentucky, Senate Bill 136 would allow for medical marijuana and Senate Bill 82 would make the penalty for those caught with small amounts like a traffic ticket. In West Virginia, where medical marijuana…

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