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Local Government

Budget bill comes in at wire

CHARLESTON — West Virginia lawmakers passed a $4.96 billion general revenue budget Saturday in the final hours of the regular legislative session. The budget included average 5% pay raises for state employees and a three-year phase-out of state taxes on Social Security, both priorities advocated by Gov. Jim Justice. There was some drama — and waiting — as key policy differences between the Senate and House of Delegates were untangled over the final two days of the session. “It was basically a flat line budget. There was a little bit of an increase, but we did pay raises ...

House passes bill allowing teachers to remove disruptive students from class

Delegates passed a long-discussed bill that would allow elementary school teachers to remove especially disruptive students from classrooms. SB 614 passed on an 82-14 vote. The bill already passed the Senate but goes back there again because of some changes that were made. “I can’t tell you the number of teachers who have told me ‘Oh good lord, thank you. We needed something to get these kids out of the class that are just, pardon the expression, hellbent on raising cain and causing disruption,’” said Delegate Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer. When a teacher in grades ...

Bill removing marital exemption from some sex assault cases heads to governor’s desk

The House of Delegates passed a bill to remove a marital exemption for some criminal sexual offenses Senate Bill 190 would remove a provision in criminal code where an allegation of inappropriate sexual contact applies only when the victim is not married to the aggressor. “It removes marriage as a defense to first degree and third degree sexual assault,” said House Judiciary Chairman Tom Fast, R-Fayette, in explaining the bill. The House already passed a bill that included this change in state policy. That was a bill called the “Women’s Bill of Rights.” Senators ...

Amendments defeated for national motto, intelligent design bills for schools

Delegates didn’t put their faith in proposed amendments to a bill requiring “In God We Trust” signs in schools or another bill ensuring classroom discussions are allowed to ruminate on the ways the universe might have begun. Senate Bill 152 would require display in a conspicuous place in West Virginia schools a durable poster or framed copy of the United States national motto, “In God We Trust.” Delegate John Williams, D-Monongalia, would also have inserted the state motto “Montani Semper Liberi,” or Mountaineers are always free. “We don’t have that much of a ...

State employee pay raises would be tied to personal income tax trigger in Senate bill

The Senate Finance Committee advanced a pay raise bill for public employees, but with a twist. The Senate’s version of the bill would tie an average 4% raise for public employees to whatever happens with an upcoming trigger on personal income tax cuts. If the trigger based on economic indicators activates another personal income tax cut, then there will be no raise. If there is no triggered personal income tax cut, then there would be a raise. Got it? If you are trying to figure out if you might be in line for a raise, here is how the trigger works: The trigger to ...