The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law last week, included many important provisions to help mitigate the sharp economic decline that millions are struggling with. But while the bill expanded unemployment insurance and provided financial assistance to families, individuals, state and local governments, and businesses, there is more that will need to be done, particularly in the areas of health coverage, food assistance for struggling families, and additional state fiscal relief.
With millions losing jobs, including tens of thousands in West Virginia, Congress should look to policies that would help people who lose their health insurance along with their jobs transition to marketplace coverage. This could be done by increasing premium tax credits, making coverage more affordable for at least 9 million currently uninsured people and many others likely to become uninsured in the coming months.
Read more in Sean’s blog post.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a lack of investment in the infrastructure that supports our public safety, health care, food delivery, unemployment insurance system, and other foundational systems critical to the well-being and safety of West Virginia’s working families.
And as our frontline first responders, nurses, doctors, grocery store clerks, custodial staff, and others work around the clock to contain this pandemic, it is clear the time to start planning structural changes and investments to support the health and economic security of West Virginia’s working families is now, not tomorrow.
Please ask House Speaker Hanshaw and Senate President Carmichael to create the Joint Committee on WV Pandemic Preparedness to meet regularly during interims, solicit open access comments and recommendations from members of the public, and make specific policy recommendations to the full legislature to ensure West Virginians are better prepared the next time a similar crisis impacts the state.
Join Sean and Kelly live for a Facebook event tomorrow starting at 11:30AM to discuss unemployment insurance! They will be taking your questions on this important topic.
Here’s more and more on the pandemic’s impact on West Virginia’s Unemployment Insurance system from Sean on WV Metro News and from the Ohio Valley Resource.
For a complete list of our COVID-19 resources, please visit this new page on our website.
Here’s an op-ed in this week’s Charleston Gazette-Mail from long-time citizen activist Betty Rivard sharing her perspective on finding joy during these troubled times.
The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy is currently seeking an operations and communications manager. The operations and communications manager is responsible for a variety of duties including special event planning, communications, and office management. This position supports work that advances public policies that improve the quality of life for all West Virginians and includes media relations, public campaigns, publication design, and website and database management. Interested candidates are encouraged to forward their resumes to info@wvpolicy.org.
This position has the flexibility to be part or full time depending on the applicant and the WVCBP’s needs. The WVCBP is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or national origin.
Read full job announcement here.
Registration Open for the 2020 Summer Policy Institute
Registration is open for this year’s Summer Policy Institute! Join us at Fairmont State University this July for a great weekend of policy discussion and networking!
Note: We are closely monitoring public health best practices around COVID 19. For now, we plan to host the Summer Policy Institute in-person in July, so please do register if you are interested in attending. As the situation develops and evolves, we will keep you posted and reevaluate, if needed.
