Ahead of the 2024 legislative session, there seemed to be broad consensus among lawmakers, Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) officials, and the public that addressing multiple crises in our criminal system should be a priority. On the surface, legislators seemed ready to take action. Over the course of the 2024 regular session, more than…
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Overview During the 2023 West Virginia legislative session, lawmakers had the opportunity to use available revenues to address longstanding needs like ensuring PEIA and Medicaid solvency, filling crisis-level staffing vacancies across state agencies, or increasing investments in neglected areas like higher education and child care. But instead, the FY 2024 budget debate was dominated by…
Nearly 130,000 West Virginia parents and other adults could get health insurance through an expansion of Medicaid to allow more working families to participate, as outlined in the law. Expansion promises to lower costs for hospitals that treat large numbers of patients without insurance, costs which now add up to more than $700 million in…
This afternoon the Senate Finance Committee introduced their version of the FY 2024 budget. Notably–to account for their plan to cut taxes for the state's wealthiest households and businesses–the Senate's proposed budget is significantly smaller than the budget proposed by the governor. The Senate budget proposal relies on one-time surplus funds to pay for ongoing,…
Late in the evening on the final day of the 2024 regular session, lawmakers passed what they referred to as a “skinny budget” totaling $4.997 billion in general revenue for FY 2025. The enacted budget reflects a spending increase of $122 million over FY 2024’s budget, but it is $226 million less than what the…
“Right-to-Work” laws do not guarantee jobs for workers. Instead they prohibit unions and employers from including a provision in contracts that requires employees who benefit from union representation to pay for their fair share toward those costs. PDF of Fast Facts. Some state lawmakers argue that if West Virginia adopted a so-called “right-to-work” (RTW) law…
West Virginia News - Recent reports have shown positive improvements in children’s health in West Virginia. Read the full article. The 2024 Kids Count Data Book ranked West Virginia 35th nationally in the category of health, a four-place improvement from last year’s ranking. Indicators such as low birth-weight babies, children without health insurance, child and…
Join the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy for our inaugural budget happy hour. Hosted at the WVSSPA Conference Center from 4:30-6:00pm Wednesday, January 17th, 2024. At 5:00pm Kelly Allen, Executive Director, will introduce Sean O'Leary, Senior Policy Analyst, who will give a short analysis of the Governor's proposed budget. Guests can enjoy an…
Wheeling News-Register, Weirton Daily Times - West Virginia Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman sees an increased need to care for the state’s foster children in 2024. Read the full article. When the Legislature next convenes Jan. 10, one of the bills the Ohio County Republican hopes to propose would provide reimbursement funding to a family member…
Wheeling News-Register - School discipline, capital punishment for fentanyl pushers, funding for EMS and non-uniformed corrections staff, and data privacy are just some of the bills legislative leaders in West Virginia plan to push in the upcoming session next week. Read the full article. Legislative leaders in the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates…