As a special session prepares to commence again, Gov. Jim Justice’s administration has pumped four more bills in for consideration.
So the administration has now put forward 31 total items. The Legislature passed six of those during a special session that began last Monday prior to its adjournment until this Sunday.
The latest policies to be considered were submitted in a proclamation to the Secretary of State’s Office.
- The first of the newest bills for lawmakers to consider is a $5 million appropriation for a child care expansion pilot program.
- Another is a $1 million allocation to the state Department of Education for school safety programs.
- The third would create a specific appropriation line for charter school construction grants.
- The fourth would appropriate $10 million for drought relief programs through the Department of Agriculture.
“We’ve had some very productive conversations over the last week with the West Virginia Legislature, and I’m looking forward to them reconvening on Sunday as they take up these new additions and the rest of the bills from the original call. I’m grateful that they’ve already passed important legislation, including funding to help fix our roads and support the Communities In Schools program, which is making a huge impact across all 55 counties. However, there’s more work to be done,” Justice said in a news release.
Justice has been pushing for a 5% tax cut since early July. That would be on top of a 21.25% tax cut already instituted by the state, plus a 4% cut automatically triggered when the state hit particular economic conditions.
The Legislature gaveled in Monday for the start of the special session called by the governor, but adjourned until Sunday without taking up the tax cut bill. The resumption is rapidly approaching without most lawmakers signaling they’re ready to embrace the tax cut.
Justice said in today’s news release, “I would still like to see the Legislature pass another personal income tax cut as we march towards eliminating it entirely.
“I’m confident we’re going to get everything across the finish line, because this is what the people of West Virginia are asking for: tax cuts, childcare aid, infrastructure upgrades, job creation, school improvements, school safety, and drought relief. Let’s get everything accomplished, and sign some bills.”
The House and Senate agreed to gavel back in at 6 p.m. Sunday when regularly scheduled interim legislative meetings were already set to occur.
Lawmakers completed action on six appropriations bills Monday. They include:
- a bill providing $10 million to the Communities in Schools program
- $150 million to the State Road Fund
- $1.2 million for repairs and equipment for the state Veterans’ Home in Barboursville
- $375,000 for repairs and equipment for the West Virginia State Police
- $2 million for West Virginia University for work at the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute
- $379,000 to the Department of Education for pay increases to teachers at the School of the Deaf and Blind that were inadvertently left out of the budget bill for pay increases