MORGANTOWN — The state Senate cruised through a series of bills on Wednesday — among them one dealing with gun classes and one to help protect foster children. SB 402 would allow the U.S. Concealed Carry Association to provide concealed carry classes in West Virginia, joining the NRA, ...
CHARLESTON — West Virginia faces a $114 million Medicaid gap along with a proposal to fill it, but the Senate Finance chairman is concerned about financial consequences down the line. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps cover medical costs for some people with limited incomes and resources. For the coming fiscal year, West Virginia faces a gap estimated at $114 million due to a range of factors. When state officials aim to keep the general revenue budget relatively flat, a $114 million cost increase could be a big deal. One factor causing the funding ...
CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Republican Party executive committee voted Saturday to close its Primary Election, limiting it to Republican voters only, starting in 2026. The move reverses a decision the GOP made over three decades ago to allow independent voters to participate. The party leaders voted 65 in favor and 54 against the resolution. There are currently 287,000 independent or non-affiliated voters in West Virginia, making up 25% of all registered voters. The debate initially divided state GOP leaders. The party’s resolutions committee earlier voted 4-3 to advance a ...
Don Blankenship, political lightning rod and former coal titan who spent a year in jail on a mine safety conspiracy conviction, is running as a Democrat for U.S. Senate. This is the seat that Senator Joe Manchin, an independent-minded mainstay of West Virginia Democratic politics, has chosen to bow out of competing to retain. Most pundits believe the seat is likely to flip to a Republican, and the top candidates on that side are incumbent Gov. Jim Justice and Congressman Alex Mooney. Blankenship has been involved with Republican politics in West Virginia for many years, first as ...
MORGANTOWN — Here is a sampling of bills introduced Friday, Jan. 26. Local sponsors and co-sponsors are noted. SB 566, the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council to examine the needs of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, the services ...
KINGWOOD — In an unusually short meeting, Preston County commissioners voted to move forward with an agreement to update their employee handbook. The cost of the update is not to exceed $3,000. Commissioner Samantha Stone said once the employee handbook is updated, elected officials can choose to adopt it or not to use it. She said attorney Wendy Greve will provide a training session with county employees about the changes being made. Greve works with the firm of Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown, and Poe. “We have a retainer with them but the hourly rate increased,” she ...
