CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice is adding a dozen more bills for the Legislature to consider during a special session originally focusing on education.
Ten of those announced Friday afternoon are supplemental appropriation bills. The Legislature considered and passed appropriation bills related to highways funding during special session last month,too.
Another bill relates to the procurement of construction work performed as part of disaster mitigation or recovery originating from a declared state of emergency. West Virginia has been down to one contractor on flood relief.
And the final bill relates to the Ryan Brown Fund, which supports additional treatment beds in the state. .
None of the bills have been introduced, but they are described in an amended special session call.
The special session continues at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the House of Delegates, where the focus of discussion is likely to remain on education reform.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, has said delegates will consider — and probably amend — an omnibus education bill passed earlier this month by the state Senate. But, Hanshaw said, delegates will probably also consider individual education bills.
This week’s special session resumption was supposed to align with legislative interim meetings. But those have been pared down to just two to give the House plenty of time to work on education policy.
West Virginia’s three biggest education unions plan a joint news conference at 8 a.m. Monday at the Capitol.
The leaders of those unions put out a video on Friday, urging educators to show up at the Capitol on Monday.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee, American Federation of Teachers-WV President Fred Albert and West Virginia School Service Personnel President Joe White appear in the video that runs for just more than two minutes.
“The leadership of our organizations will be there to fight this battle but now more than ever we need you there with us,” Albert said.