CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice has submitted an amended special session call that now includes a state budget bill.
“Now that we have action on the revenue legislation in motion I’ve sent up the budget plan,” Justice stated in a news release. “There is still much work to be done. Once all of the bills are passed, most importantly the roads bills, then the budget is ready to be the last thing to be passed.”
The bill was previously absent from the special session call, a situation that was generating increasing criticism from Republican leadership in both houses.
Instead, both houses have been working on versions of a revenue bill and making little apparent progress toward general agreement.
During an appearance Monday on MetroNews’ “Talkline,” the governor promised the budget bill would be out Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Justice has described the budget as adding up to $4.35 billion.
MORE: Read the governor’s proclamation of the amended call.
Six more bills also are being added to the special session agenda, some fairly significant.
One would affect certificates of need for hospitals and another would authorize the Division of Health and Human Resources to move toward the sale of some state-owned hospitals.
Another would bring back a Senate proposal to shift property tax burden to counties for the funding of school systems. That’s a measure of about $80 million.