Listen to “This and That from Legislative Week One” on Spreaker.
The West Virginia Senate and House both gaveled in Wednesday, officially kicking off the 60-day legislative session, followed later that evening by Governor Morrisey’s State of the State address.
Here are a few rapid-fire, off-the-cuff observations.
One: Senator Laura Wakim Chapman published a letter Tuesday announcing her resignation as chair of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee. She says Senate President Randy Smith demanded a promise of support from her – a loyalty she apparently was not comfortable providing. She later elaborated with Talkline regular Amelia Knisley of West Virginia Watch, arguing that senators from the Eastern Panhandle wield disproportionate power, allegedly at the expense of the Northern Panhandle and the rest of the state. Chapman claimed the region holds too many committee chairmanships.
Here’s the oxymoron: if you believe the Northern Panhandle is underrepresented, why resign a chair position – thereby further diminishing your district’s voice? That rationale feels incomplete, and frankly, flawed.
Candidly, committee chairs serve at the pleasure of the Senate president as an extension of his leadership team. Asking a chair to be aligned with the president’s vision doesn’t seem unreasonable so much as it seems a sensible prerequisite for service. Senator Brian Helton now chairs the committee. His district, it would appear, ended up with more influence than it had just a few days ago.
Two: Smith appeared on Talkline Wednesday from the Capitol and addressed criticism that he hadn’t rolled out a formal agenda. He noted that he’s not flashy and didn’t feel the need to hold a press conference to promote one. Smith is not a typical Senate leader; he appears more comfortable with collaboration than calling every shot. Leadership styles vary — and ultimately, nobody in Normalville, West Virginia cares which style is used as long as it produces results. Smith now has 60 days to show those results.
Worth mentioning, TEAM WV – the Jobs Ohio-like undertaking championed publicly by Speaker Roger Hanshaw – is actually a brainchild of the Senate and the bill to make it so will originate there. Top down or bottom up, that says something of an agenda, no? You can decide for yourself.
More impressive, however, was what Smith didn’t do this week.
Everyone around the Capitol was talking about Chapman’s departure, and Smith had every opportunity to take the low road – to criticize her performance or spin a narrative suggesting the body was better off without her as chair. He didn’t. Instead, he expressed genuine care for her, praised the job she did, wished her well, and said he loved her. All of that on Wednesday’s Talkline.
Somewhere in this state, there’s a young person – a young man or woman – who, for reasons known only to their Maker, is wired to love politics and government. The kid I used to be. That young person saw Smith’s grace in that moment and understood its significance. It made an impression. Good on Mr. Smith for setting that example. That’s more the move of a statesman than politician.
Three: WVU economist John Deskins was in the House – literally – Wednesday morning, delivering an update on the state’s economic outlook. He acknowledged he doesn’t enjoy delivering bad news, but the data are challenging: the lowest labor-force participation rate in the nation, more deaths than births, an economy crying for diversity, and among the lowest per-capita income levels in the country.
There are bright spots. A handful of counties are growing, and Deskins projects modest statewide growth. He sees data centers as a premier opportunity for West Virginia. He’s right. People would be wise to pushback less on data centers, at least in this former businessman’s assessment.
About a week ago, a comparison of GDP per capita — West Virginia versus the G7 — caught my attention. GDP per capita is often a more useful international comparison than household or per-capita income.
Based on 2024 data, West Virginia posted $57,710 – second lowest among U.S. states. Yet that figure still places us ahead of Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Japan.
Yes, we face real challenges. Yes, many states are ahead of us. But perspective matters. West Virginia remains well ahead of several developed nations. In an off-air conversation, Deskins agreed, noting he often makes that point himself.
Four: The governor’s State of the State address was largely what you’d expect — polished and well-rehearsed. These speeches are always part pep rally; that’s the job.
The governor touted more than $4 billion in new investment, though many around the Capitol quietly question how much of that investment can be credited exclusively to Morrisey — particularly power-plant projects that were already in motion before his tenure.
Some also pointed to Morrisey not giving former Governor now U.S. Senator Jim Justice due credit on his investments to better state roads. The “long overdue” comment regarding a proposed $100 million beyond normal funding for roads did not go unnoticed. Justice of course spearheaded the $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity program. Justice’s toll increases and unlimited E-ZPass program yielded $600 million in new investment in the ten counties surrounding the turnpike, according to a release at the time.
Politics is politics. Credit disputes are inevitable. And yes, posturing is ongoing and strong regarding the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2028 – more than two years away.
Back to the address… When it came to vision, however, the speech was light on specifics. The “how” matters. Proposing a 10 percent personal income-tax cut while simultaneously projecting a $200 million budget gap in fiscal year 2028 — growing to $411 million by fiscal year 2031 — feels contradictory. Morrisey insists the state can afford it. On Talkline Thursday he called for the state to “act boldly” in moving forward.
The Legislature appears less convinced. House Finance Chair Vernon Criss — best described as fiscally conservative, fiscally deliberate, and deeply seasoned in state finances — noted on Talkline that West Virginia already has a tax-cut plan with built-in triggers. Criss favors predictability and gradual reductions over time. He wants to avoid putting the state in a position that future lawmakers must clean up. A prudent concern. He also understands that state employees need raises; West Virginia continues to struggle to keep pace with inflation, even in modest inflationary periods, let alone recent years of higher rates.
Five: Ivermectin is back. Senate Bill 42 would allow its procuring over the counter from pharmacists without physician prescription. The drug’s use outside of fighting certain parasites and conditions such as lice and scabies came to fruition during COVID. Those who back it say it’s relatively harmless and people should have access to it as a matter of personal freedom. Others says its use is entirely political. Senator Tom Takubo, who serves on Senate Health and is a pulmonologist, said doctors tried it during COVID and it didn’t work. He agreed it is relatively benign in small doses, but could be quite harmful in large doses.
My take: to each his own. You can buy this stuff at your local farm supply store. If you want it, you can easily get it. We have larger problems so if passing the bill saves time for bigger things… fine. That said, if a doctor tells me it doesn’t work – Takubo is a board-certified pulmonologist who cited in his committee remarks peer-reviewed studies and firsthand clinical work with the drug – I’d go with the good doctor over some folks who believe it works wonders.
All told, the session is underway; legislators are easing in. Safe and steady is often the norm in election years. Still, with real challenges — child welfare, lagging economic development, school-aid formula issues, and more — the moment demands action, and quickly.