CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state legislature will gavel into regular session at noon Wednesday for only one day.
Every four years the legislature takes a 4-week recess after the opening day to allow the candidate elected governor the November before to transition into office. There hasn’t been a full transition in West Virginia since January 2005 when then Gov. Bob Wise gave way to Joe Manchin. Manchin left office midway through his second term after winning a U.S. Senate seat. Earl Ray Tomblin has been governor for the last six years.
Governor-elect Jim Justice will be sworn-in next Monday. The session will resume Feb. 8.
Tomblin will give his farewell address in the House of Delegates Chamber at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
According to Tomblin’s Chief of Staff Chris Stadelman, Tomblin will touch on a number of topics from substance abuse to workforce initiatives to the state’s financial issues.
“You’ll also hear him stress the importance of the fiscal responsibility. That has been one of his hallmarks, Stadelman said.
The session will begin Wednesday with the elections of Sen. Mitch Carmichael (R-Jackson) as Senate president and the reelection of Del. Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha) as House speaker. Both bodies will then adopt their sets of rules for the session.