Breaking News

Local Government

Despite House passage of budget bill, state’s financial plan unclear

CHARLESTON — Delegates passed a $4.99 billion general revenue budget that includes raises for state employees and a phase-out of state taxes on Social Security. But, with just days left in the regular legislative session, the state’s financial plan is anything but clear. That’s because the Senate Finance committee chairman has continued to express doubt over whether the state can afford the pay raises and Social Security tax cut right now. And because a special session is already being planned for May to focus on financial matters. Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, speaking ...

Finance committee moves bill to change unemployment pay for workers, employers

CHARLESTON — Members of the House Finance Committee narrowly advanced a bill that will reduce the amount of checks to unemployed people over time while also increasing the amount paid by employers into the state’s unemployment trust fund. The committee advanced SB 841 on a 14-9 vote after three-and-a-half hours of discussion. The bill now goes to the House floor during the final week of the regular legislative session. Comments by Delegate John Hardy, vice chairman of the Finance Committee, demonstrated the conflict — calling the bill “a hot mess” but also saying he ...

Finance approves bill that bans smoking in cars with kids

CHARLESTON — A bill that would make it illegal for an adult to smoke in a car where kids are passengers remains alive in the final week of the legislative session. The House Finance Committee approved SB 378 in a 9-7 split vote in a Monday morning meeting. There were nine committee members not at the meeting. The bill previously passed the Senate, its sponsor is Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, a medical doctor. Committee members shared personal stories before voting on the bill Monday. “I can remember crawling down into the floorboard of the backseat of ...

MCHD approves fee schedule ahead of legislative change

MORGANTOWN — Local health departments across West Virginia are scrambling to stay ahead of a legislative change that could disrupt their ability to charge for a wide range of permits and services under the environmental health banner. Senate Bill 17 will repeal the code sections that ...

Kingwood Recycling Center set to tighten security measures

KINGWOOD — Changes are coming to the Kingwood Recycle Center. Kingwood Mayor Jean Guillot said people are dumping their garbage in the city’s recycling bins. He said the city will have to either gate the center or lock them and only have them open during daylight hours. Councilman Mike Livengood had a different solution. He said the city should do what council said it would when a dog that had been dead for several days was discarded in one of the bins — close the recycling center down. Guillot said it takes city workers two or more hours to sort the trash from the ...