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March 24, 2023 by
Health Policy, the Social Safety Net, and the 2023 Legislative Session

West Virginia has long faced significant health-related challenges, many of which could have been meaningfully addressed by bills introduced during the 2023 legislative session. While a couple of positive health-focused bills were passed by the legislature this year, unfortunately lawmakers focused much of their attention on health-related policies based on fear—not facts.  Two bills that…

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May 6, 2016 by
Have You Voted?

Vote for the Issues You Care About The polls are open both for early voting in West Virginia's primary and for the Our Children Our Future issue ballot. Have you voted? Choose from a selection of topics in three pillars. Your vote is important! It will be shared with legislators so they know your legislative…

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July 8, 2022 by
Remaining ARPA Funds Should Be Spent on Needs of Residents and Those Disproportionately Impacted by Pandemic

In the spring of 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to address the ongoing economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to historic reductions in child poverty through the expanded Child Tax Credit, ARPA’s Fiscal Recovery Funds to states and localities were among the most impactful parts of the legislation. In West Virginia,…

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February 17, 2023 by
What’s a Sustainable Plan for West Virginia’s “Surplus”?

The 2023 state legislative session has seen both chambers heavily focused on turning the state’s revenue “surplus” into personal income tax cuts, despite the clear need for new spending after four years of austerity forced by flat budgets. We’ve covered at length the temporary factors driving the surplus, as well as the fallacy of calling it a surplus at…

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September 7, 2023 by
Checking in on West Virginia’s Economy

With the unofficial end of summer passing with Labor Day, now is a good time to check in on West Virginia's economy. And while the nation as a whole has experienced a strong recovery from the pandemic, West Virginia is lagging behind on several key indicators over the past year. The national economy has added…

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January 4, 2013 by
After The Cliff: What The Payroll Tax Holiday Expiration Means To West Virginia

Although a "fiscal cliff" deal to prevent tax hikes and sweeping spending cuts was brokered at the eleventh hour, West Virginians will still see a tax increase. The rarely mentioned payroll tax holiday has officially expired, impacting the paychecks of about 900,000 working West Virginians. Enacted in 2010, the payroll tax holiday was designed to…

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May 25, 2023 by
Black Infant and Maternal Mortality Must Be a Priority in West Virginia

Infants and birthing parents are dying at alarming rates in West Virginia. Infant and maternal mortality rates are essential statistics measuring overall societal health. In particular, the disparities in life outcomes between Black and white babies and mothers raise questions about health equity and the ability of our health care system to respond to both…

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July 25, 2024 by
Education vs. Exclusion: A Closer Look at Discipline in West Virginia Schools

West Virginia lawmakers have considered sweeping, punitive school discipline measures over the last two years in response to an increase in disruptive student behaviors. This issue is not unique to West Virginia—87 percent of public schools nationwide report that the pandemic has negatively impacted student socioemotional development. While teachers and schools certainly need more support…

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January 9, 2025 by
Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements Could Cost West Virginia Hundreds of Millions of Federal Health Care Dollars; More Than 40,000 Residents Could Lose Health Coverage 

Overview Federal policymakers are reportedly considering enacting work reporting requirements for Medicaid in the new Congress. Similar state-level policy led to disastrous consequences in Arkansas in 2018-19 until a federal judge blocked the program. Enacting an Arkansas-style work reporting requirement at the federal level would result in West Virginia’s health care system losing an estimated…

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February 12, 2016 by
2016 Legislative Session Hits Its Half-Way Mark

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…

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