Charleston Gazette-Mail - The West Virginia legislative session reminds me of the Wild West. You never know what magic-show patent medicine will be hawked, or what bills will stampede through the committee corrals. Read the full op-ed. I own six horses. Any warm spell means it’s time to saddle up. But, before throwing a saddle…
WVCBP in the News
The News-Herald - I’ve written many times about the concept; about the relationship between accountability and responsibility, for example. Read the full op-ed. Unfortunately, too often we need to use the word in tandem with the phrase “lack of.” Which is best exemplified by what we often see — or don’t see — from our…
Mountain State Spotlight - Last summer, the West Virginia University Foundation — the institution’s fundraising arm — touted in a news release that it had raised a record $270 million. Read the full article. Foundation President and CEO Cindi Roth said the number “speaks volumes about the generosity and commitment of our alumni and friends.” WVU President…
Public News Service - West Virginia groups are pushing state lawmakers to pass several bills related to health care, bills they say would lower copays and increase access to health insurance. Read the full article. Legislators are considering a bill which would allow people who make a small amount of money over Medicaid's income limit to "buy…
Mountain State Spotlight, Fayette Tribune - West Virginia is sitting on more than $110 million in unspent welfare funds from a federal program that gives families — mostly children — money for essentials like food, clothes and rent. Read the full article. Meanwhile, state food banks reported soaring hunger numbers amid the pandemic, and in December,…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Williamson Daily News, Tax News Daily - The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill cutting personal income tax rates by 10% in a 76-20 vote on Friday. read the full article. House Bill 4007 now heads to the Senate. If passed into law as it currently reads, the bill…
The Dominion Post, Yahoo News - Feb. 10—We're running our weekly roundup a little early this week, and we'll mostly be focusing on the "good " and the "stupid " today. The "bad " will come tomorrow. Without further ado, let's take a look at what the Legislature has been up to. Read the full…
West Virginia MetroNews - Financial proposals circulating at the Statehouse could wind up collapsing under the weight of their own competition, through the restraints of federal guidelines or because of dawning fiscal reality. Read the full article. Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed pay raise of an average 5 percent for most state workers is the best…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - The West Virginia Senate passed two bills significantly altering the state’s unemployment system in a contested vote on Tuesday. Republican lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 3, which would place new requirements on job-seekers, on a party-line vote. Senate Bill 2, which would cut the state’s paid unemployment benefits from 26 to 12 weeks,…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald Dispatch - The West Virginia House Finance Committee passed a personal income tax repeal phase-out bill in about three minutes Monday, but the legislation still faces an uphill fight. Read the full article. With no discussion or questions asked of counsel, committee members passed House Bill 4007, which first would implement…