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Local Government

Finance advances support of battery factory

House Finance Committee members advanced a $105 million supplemental appropriation to support Form Energy, which has plans to build a cutting-edge battery plant in the northern panhandle. House Bill 2882, which calls for a directed transfer to the state Economic Development Project Fund, now goes to the full House for consideration. That’s a key piece of the financial structure for the Form Energy deal announced by Gov. Jim Justice just before Christmas. Form Energy is putting up at least $350 million of private dollars to get the project off the ground at the site of the old ...

A sampling of bills introduced Monday, Feb. 6

MORGANTOWN – Here is a sampling of bills introduced on Monday, Feb. 6. Local sponsors and co-sponsors, if any, are noted. HB 3297, to allow for patients to refuse to have their procedures observed by residents of the hospital, or medical students. HB 3298, Angel's Law, to prohibit ...

W.Va. House passes gender-affirming treatment ban

After more than an hour of debate, West Virginia delegates passed a bill that would ban aspects of gender affirming care for minors. House Bill 2007 was passed 84-10 with six members absent. The bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration. “Even if the surgeries aren’t happening now, it doesn’t mean they won’t be happening next year if we don’t do something,” said Delegate Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia. “We have the rare opportunity to be preemptive. We can be proactive instead of reactive. That’s the kind of conservative legislators that our citizens ...

COVID money builds baseball field?

Senators are trailing the Justice administration’s transfer of the remaining $28 million in federal COVID relief dollars to a fund controlled by the Governor’s Office, which then put millions of dollars from that transfer toward construction of Marshall University’s new baseball field. “Isn’t that money laundering?” asked Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker. No, responded Berkeley Bentley, general counsel for the Governor’s Office. Bentley was testifying Friday before the Senate Finance Committee, which wanted to know more about the transfer’s reasoning and ...

Attorney general mobile office updates plans to be in area

A representative from the office of West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey will meet with north-central West Virginia residents in this month to discuss consumer-related issues and answer any questions. This is an update to the days and times announced last month. “These public events are a great way for consumers to talk one-on-one with our consumer representatives,” Morrisey said. “Residents can easily get questions answered, learn what is going on in their area and how to keep personal information safe and secure.” Pam Krushansky, a consumer outreach and ...