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House panel starts work on DOH spending transparency bill; OKs one for railroad worker rides

CHARLESTON — The House Technology & Infrastructure Committee approved a bill on Monday to lend more transparency to Division of Highways spending and another to ensure railroad workers have safe rides to and from their job sites. The DOH bill is HB 2012, the country roads accountability and transparency bill. As introduced, it directs the state auditor to supply on its wvcheckbook.gov state spending transparency website financial information about DOH contracted projects in all 55 counties. The information would include the project name and location, the funding source and ...

Senate Judiciary considers constitutional amendment to prohibit court interference in impeachment proceedings

CHARLESTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee began contemplating on Monday a proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit any state court from interfering in any future impeachment proceedings. The committee took up a revised version of SJR 5, which if passed would put the proposed amendment before the voters. As explained by committee counsel, the amendment would clarify in the state Constitution that no court may interfere with active preachment proceedings in the House or impeachment trial proceedings in the Senate. The matter would not be subject to court review until after ...

Education bill passes Senate, heads to House

  CHARLESTON — The Republican majority in West Virginia’s Senate passed a broad-ranging education bill after two and a half hours of emotional debate Monday. The bill next goes to the House of Delegates, where it’s unclear how it might be received. “Many of the bills we see come through are code changes and relatively small items,” Senate President Mitch Carmichael said from the stairs that lead into the chamber. “This is a bill that you are here today to witness that fundamentally changes the lives and the prospects and opportunities for teachers and students ...

Loft Office Coworking and Conference Center to hold grand opening

MORGANTOWN — The grand opening of Loft Office Coworking and Loft Conference Center at Granville Square will be held from 5 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at its location across from Monongalia County Ballpark in the University Town Centre. Horizon Properties Principal Mike Swisher said this will ...

A sampling of bills introduced Feb. 4

CHARLESTON – Here is a sampling of bills introduced Feb. 4. Monongalia-Preston-Marion-area lead sponsors and co-sponsors, if any, are noted. SB 514, to create a victim’s right to know the place of employment and residence of a person who has been incarcerated for domestic violence. Sen. Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, lead sponsor. Sen. Mike Maroney, R-Marshall, co-sponsor. SB 518, prohibits the sale of products containing the cough medication dextromethorphan, also called DMX, to anyone under 18, in an effort to curb abuse of the medication.  A version of this passed the House in 2018 ...

Gov. Justice not worried about January revenues being down $3M

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice announced Monday revenue collections in January missed estimates by $3 million, but he said he’s not upset about it. Justice said during a state capitol news conference the state remains on track for a very good fiscal year with collections. He said missing ...