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May 7, 2021 by
Criminal Justice Policy and the 2021 Legislative Session

The 2021 West Virginia legislative session ended last month, and now that the majority of the bills have been signed by the governor or passed into law without his signature, we can take stock of how criminal justice policies fared at the Capitol. Our newest blog post provides a recap of criminal justice bills that were introduced and…

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May 14, 2021 by
The State of Reentry and Barriers for Returning Citizens in West Virginia

Across the United States, citizens returning from prisons and jails face numerous obstacles as they reintegrate into their communities, including finding steady employment and stable housing, obtaining reliable transportation, and navigating the requirements of community supervision. The challenge in overcoming these obstacles is heightened in West Virginia, a rural state with limited access to transportation…

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July 30, 2021 by
Dental Benefit Already Making a Significant Impact in West Virginia

As a result of SB 648 (passed in 2020), this year West Virginia began offering a dental benefit for adults over the age of 21 who are enrolled in WV Medicaid. Our newest blog post takes a look at how this new benefit has impacted WV Medicaid members. Nearly one in five West Virginia adults gained access to dental benefits via Medicaid this…

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March 14, 2018 by
FY 2019 Budget Recap

The 2018 Legislative Session came to a close last week, and in a break from the past two years, the budget was passed early with little controversy. While every year, the budget undergoes some changes from the governor's proposal to the final product, this year most of the changes to the budget were part of…

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March 23, 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. Maternal and infant mortality rates continue to rise nationally, and the most recent pre-pandemic state data indicated that infant mortality in West Virginia outpaces the national rate.[1] Opioid overdose deaths continue to take the…

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March 6, 2015 by
Budget Beat – March 6, 2015

Make or Break Time With Just a Week to Go The 2015 Legislation Session is in the home stretch with time running out to pass legislation. We are happy to report that the bill to drug test recipients of TANF benefits is dead. This expensive and inefficient program would have been an unnecessary expense for…

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February 28, 2014 by
Budget Beat – February 28, 2014

Legislation Still Alive Post- Crossover Day Wednesday was Crossover Day, the day that legislation has to have passed one chamber to stay alive. Here's what we are watching: The West Virginia Future Fund bill passed the Senate unanimously last week and is awaiting action by the House of Delegates. Want to know more about what…

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