PEIA costs will go up for state workers, so board will ask which option is least painful
By Brad McElhinny, WV Metronews The agency that oversees insurance for public employees is taking three new plan options on the road because of new legislation that will raise costs. “We have to now reconvene and adopt a new financial plan based on Senate Bill 268,” said Jason Haught, acting director of the Public Employees […]
Governor signs bill establishing board to cooperatively determine best use of funds from opioid court actions
By Brad McElhinny, WV Metronews After a bill signing by Gov. Jim Justice, West Virginia state law now reflects a structure for determining how state and local governments will work together to determine the best uses for financial settlements in the state’s ongoing battle over the effects of opioid addiction. The “West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding” already […]
THE BACK PEW–Quick rundown of which bills passed & which ones failed
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV March 16, 2023 The WV Legislature adjourned at midnight on March 11. Here’s a quick rundown of several bills we’ve been watching the last two months, along with whether the bill passed or failed. TAX CUT. Passed. Citizens will see a 21.25% reduction in income taxes. Rebates will also be available […]
Delegates defeat ‘dark money’ bill, before changing course to pass it
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV At 3:25pm on Friday, the House of Delegates voted 61-35 to reject SB508. The bill increases how much money lobbying groups can raise without publicly reporting their donors. By 5:06pm, delegates reconsidered their previous action and voted 49-41 to approve the bill. SB508 was sponsored by Senator Mike Azinger. It passed […]
Senators pass bill capping ‘deliberate intent’ damages in workplace accidents
By Brad McElhinny, WV Metronews March 10, 2023 With continued questions and pushback, senators passed a bill to limit non-economic damages in cases where injured workers can prove deliberate intent by employers who cut corners on safety. “Deliberate intent is the worst of the worst cases,” said Senator Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, arguing against the bill. […]
BACK PEW–Breaking down the details
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV March 8, 2023 Last week, I wrote at length about how politics has become a performance. Right on cue, our leaders proceeded to hold a balloon drop photo op to celebrate a tax cut and pay raise for public employees…while quietly giving themselves a much larger raise and increasing employee insurance […]
Local students make plan to kick vaping
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV March 5, 2023 Two weeks before COVID hit West Virginia, a group of Greenbrier East High School students presented a lesson plan to combat opioid use to the WV Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Clayton Burch. He loved it, and wanted to take it statewide. The pandemic hit the pause button on […]
BACK PEW–Lights, camera, action!
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV March 1, 2023 With 10 days to go in this legislative session, we’ve learned several important lessons about the state of our state. One, money still runs the show. Despite broken personal relationships, the House, Senate, and Governor compromised on the largest tax cut in state history…so they can say, “We […]
House votes to ban underage marriage; allocates $12 million in funding for Fire and EMS
By Matthew Young, RealWV CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Wednesday marked day number 50 of the 2023 legislative session, also known as “crossover day” – the last day bills on third reading may be considered in their house of origin. To mark the occasion, the House of Delegates worked through 28 bills on third reading, including one […]
Fishing tournament organizers take issue with new DNR rules
By Chris Lawrence, WV Metronews Several of the largest bass tournament fishing organizations in the state are taking issue with new rules issued by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources regarding tournament size in West Virginia. Ken Hackworth, President of BASS Nation West Virginia addressed their concerns to the Natural Resources Commission in Charleston back […]
