WVCBP in the News

April 30, 2025 by WVCBP
Letter to the Editor: Hope Scholarship and Public School Funding

Hampshire Review - The Hope Scholarship is an education savings account program available for K-12 students. It is an entitlement program that allows parents to use the state portion of their child’s education funding to provide individualized schooling for their child. For the 2024-2025 school year, just under $5,000 is being provided to each scholarship…

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April 29, 2025 by Tamaya Browder
How West Virginia Is Addressing a Spike in Kids’ Behavioral Issues

Governing - If you ask teachers and principals in West Virginia, they’ll tell you — the kids are not all right. Elementary school children are acting up more, school personnel say, with behaviors ranging from disruptive to violent, and teachers, parents and legislators are trying to figure out how to handle it. Read the full…

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April 29, 2025 by Kelly Allen
Microgrid Legislation Aims to Lure Data Center Developers to West Virginia

Engineering News-Record East - West Virginia is gearing up to capture a big part of the booming data center market with new legislation that would allow developers to create independent microgrids to power their data centers. Read the full article. The Power Generation and Consumption Act, which is now awaiting Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s signature to become…

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April 25, 2025 by Sara Whitaker
Morrisey Signs Bill into Law Increasing Criminal Penalties for Drug Dealers in WV

West Virginia Watch - Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Thursday signed into law a bill to drastically increase criminal penalties for dealing and transporting certain types of drugs in West Virginia. Read the full article. Senate Bill 196 — dubbed Lauren’s Law in honor of a Morgantown woman who died in 2020 after accidentally overdosing on drugs…

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April 23, 2025 by Kelly Allen
Jack Bernard: No Longer the Party of Fiscal Responsibility (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail - “It’s kind of the perfect storm,” said Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy. “All of the spending and tax cuts are starting to hit the budget at the same time that those temporary revenue factors helped us make the case for the tax cuts have…

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April 13, 2025 by WVCBP
WV Legislature Sends Far-reaching Data Centers Bill to Governor Despite Cost Concerns

Huntington Herald-Dispatch - The West Virginia Legislature has passed controversial, far-reaching legislation aimed at attracting facilities that could grow the state’s tax base but also threaten to raise power bills and cause environmental harm. Read the full article. In the final hours of the state’s 2025 regular legislative session Saturday night, the Senate sent House…

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April 11, 2025 by Kelly Allen
WV House Passes Bill Exempting 14- and 15-Year Olds From Work Permit Requirement

West Virginia Watch - West Virginia 14- and 15-year-olds seeking employment would no longer be required to have a work permit under a bill approved by the House of Delegates Friday morning. Read the full article. Delegates passed Senate Bill 427 with a 91 to 9 vote. The House’s nine Democrats voted against the bill. There was no discussion…

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April 10, 2025 by WVCBP
County Tax Support Increased, Local Control Still Gutted in Moving Data Centers Bill

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s head has been on the cloud. Read the full article. But when it comes to attracting data centers, local government leaders say he’s leading West Virginia in starting off on the wrong foot. Their concerns didn’t stop a Morrisey-backed bill to entice data centers — server-populated warehouses that power…

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