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State budgeting with uncertainty due to potential COVID-19 clawback

CHARLESTON — State officials Thursday described a $465 million obligation to the federal government over COVID-19 spending on education — and that dark cloud is casting a big shadow over the legislative budget process. Legislative officials are talking definitively about a special session in May to address financial matters once major questions are closer to being resolved. Lawmakers will pass a budget during this regular session, as constitutionally required, but the end product could be more or less a placeholder. Up in the air would be surplus spending that is important to ...

House votes to remove exemptions for at-risk minors to take medicine for gender dysphoria

CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates passed a bill that would remove narrow exceptions meant to allow minors going through gender dysphoria to be treated with minimum dosages of medication if they are at risk of hurting themselves or others. House Bill 5297 passed 88-11 and now goes to the state Senate, where the exemptions were put in place just last year after discussion of teens considering suicide. “This bill continues the prohibited practice of irreversible gender-reassignment surgery and prescribing gender-altering medication for the purpose of assisting a minor with ...

Senate proposes $4.9B budget bill, passes in first readings

CHARLESTON — Senators passed a budget that trims back what Gov. Jim Justice requested. Senators introduced their version of the budget bill Wednesday evening, suspended rules and passed it in three straight readings — although this is just the first of several steps to pass a final version. The Senate’s version might look only somewhat like what ultimately sticks. Senators passed the bill 31-0. Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, gave a rundown of the spending, but there was not otherwise any discussion. The Senate’s proposed general revenue budget for the ...

Bloom: HB 5105 a threat to West Virginia public schools

MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom said he’s normally not one to take a public stance on the various bills being debated in Charleston.  Wednesday was an exception.  He said the expansion of House Bill 5105 to allow parents to opt out of vaccination ...