Republicans in Charleston are not happy with the work requirements already being put on SNAP benefit holders, and are starting the process to expand them even further, making the Department of Health Services put all SNAP users into a employment and training program, and disclosing these within counties. Again, I don’t think many people sit around, licking their lips for the government dole to come around every month. They are looking for jobs on their own accord, and trust me the job market isn’t great right now for those looking into a specific field of want. I do understand the want to get people off of the social safety net as much as possible, but their are already work requirements, and adding on to them won’t do much in my opinion. The bill passed the Senate Workforce Committee today.

The House of Delegates Judiciary Committee has started work of HJR 13, a state constitutional amendment to ban non-citizens from voting in elections. Again, this is another amendment Republicans want to ram through the Legislature onto the ballot for something that is already illegal in the state. No city in the state has even had any city councilor bring up allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections, let alone the same Democrats who split themselves last year on a resolution supporting Greg Abbott’s immigration fight against the then-Biden Administration bringing it up on any state level. Well.. at least it isn’t as confusing as the banning of medically-assisted suicide/euthanasia amendment that barely passed after landing on ballots last year.

Delegate Mike Pushkin likes to call the Legislature the Bad Idea Factory™. And the recently introduced bills and resolutions are backing this theory. A bill to make West Virginia classrooms show the Ten Commandants was introduced today. We also have the banning of “woke words” bill. I will personally pay someone $100 if you can find the term “womxn” in any official part of state code, or even any government document. The House got a resolution declaring “transgenderism” a mental illness. It seems for every 1 good bill (teacher pay raises, helping expand license recognition), their is at least 10 stupid and/or pointless things put out.

This wrapup column will continue to expand throughout the session. Thank you for reading, share and subscribe!

SENATE FINANCE- 9:30 AM:

Budget Hearing, Revenue Department

SENATE JUDICIARY 3:00 PM:

Introductory Meeting

SENATE FINANCE- 3:00 PM:

Budget Hearing, Governor’s Proposed Session

HOUSE JUDICIARY- 9:00 AM:

Three presentations

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON COURTS- 10:00 AM

Four presentations

HOUSE EDUCATION- 1:00 PM

Treasurer’s Office Presentation on Hope Scholarship

HOUSE GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION- 1:00 PM

Hearing Stage on HB2053- Relating to including the United States Space Force in the definition armed forces and HB2074- Clarifying the process of ventilation and fire suppression for limited use food preparation facilities

HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES- 3:30 PM

Three presentations

The House rules package has been adopted on voice vote. This should wrap up most business of the day before the State of the State Address tonight. Senate has adjourned. House will soon.

UPDATE 1:06 PM:

Delegate Kayla Young’s amendment to additionally add video archives of committee hearings is on the floor. House rules have added audio archives of committee hearings for the first time ever in this rules package. Riley opposes the amendment saying committee rooms don’t have the technology for video archives.

Amendment is rejected by voice vote.

UPDATE 1:03 PM:

Puskhin’s amendment to reinstitute the Remarks by Members section of the House of Delegates, which was previously removed in 2021, in now up. McGeehan rises in opposition to it, wanting to retain current practice, the ability to do them on Wednesday’s by request, and unanimous consent to address the House.

Amendment rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:56 PM:

Pushkin’s amendment to raise the amount of times someone can speak on a bill from once to twice is on the floor.

Amendment rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:55 PM:

Hansen’s amendment to reinstate the public hearing rule is now on the floor. The current rules package moves these to committee stage, without the 48-hour notice that the prior rule had. Speaker Pro Tem Matthew Rohrbach speaks in opposition stating that the committee process allows for hearing on every bill, instead of having to have everything requested.

Amendment rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:38 PM:

Minority Whip Shawn Fluharty’s amendment to eliminate the proposed new rule to ban signs, placards etc. on the House floor is now up. McGeehan is opposing the change, saying they could be distracting and inflammatory. Delegate Mike Puskhin and McGeehan are talking. McGeehan confirms the ban includes graphs and charts, but not flags.

Amendment rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:36 PM:

The State Senate has approved a new Select Committee on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health for this Legislature.

House is taking up Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle’s amendment to eliminate proposed 2 hours advance notice of amendments in committee stage.

Amendment fails in a voice vote.

UPDATE 12:32 PM:

House taking up amendment from Delegate John Williams’ to allow for Minority Chairs increased influence in witnesses in committee. Majority Leader Pat McGeehan opposed the amendment saying that committee Chairs need to be able to maintain control.

Amendment fails in a voice vote.

UPDATE 12:28 PM:

House taking up amendment by Brooks to have a 30-minute recess every 2 hours in session. Delegate Evan Worrell and Finance Chair Vernon Criss have voiced opposition to the amendment.

Amendment is rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:23 PM:

Finance Committee Vice Chair Clay Riley leads Republican response opposing Hansen’s amendment saying public comments in committee stage can be written, not needing to have the agendas open 48 hours prior.

Amendment is rejected on voice vote.

UPDATE 12:18 PM:

GOP Delegate John Brooks has withdrawn one of his amendments to the rules package. House will now to start to work through Democratic amendments to them. Starting with Delegate Evan Hansen’s amendment to require committee agendas to put out 48 hours in advance. This is a amendment in response to concerns over the elimination of formal public hearings and moving them to committee stage.

UPDATE 12:12 PM:

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito has announced on X that State Sen. Mike Stuart has been nominated to be General Counsel at the federal Department of Health and Human Services by President Donald Trump. This would mean that Senate President Randy Smith would need a new Judiciary Committee Chair, and Gov. Patrick Morrisey would need to pick a new State Senator. It is unclear if Stuart will leave the Senate before he is confirmed.

The House of Delegates is now going through its explanation of its rules package before considering 10 amendments, 8 by Dems, 2 by GOP Delegate Eric Brooks.

UPDATE 12:04 PM:

The House and Senate have both come to order. We will have a little fight over the House rules package, with the chamber’s 9 Democrats having filed 8 amendments on them. Stay tuned for updates.

ORIGINAL POST:

Welcome to Day 1 of the Legislature, where politics will dominate the state news for the next 60 days. 2025 ushers in the biggest Republican majority in the state House ever, and lowest number of Democratic state Senators since 1866. It allows ushers in a new right-wing era in the Governor’s Mansion with Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s first session in charge of the state. Not to mention the looming $400 million deficit announced by the Governor, that leaves House Speaker Roger Hanshaw in the lurch of not really commenting on it. (Not to mention now-Sen. Jim Justice calling it “crazy talk”) We also have a push for expanding the Hope Scholarship earlier than planned, which while it would fulfill the goals for Republicans and right-wing advocacy groups this session, could expand the deficit further, and cause some consternation amongst lawmakers who want a dual focus on school choice and improving public schools. For those who want a live blog of the events (from someone not in Charleston), start here at Noon today for the latest.

Bills introduced by Senate President Randy Smith (R-Tucker):

SB9- Eliminating tax exemption of state-owned real property, being referred to the Finance Committee

SB10- Exempting certain meat processes from consumers sales and service tax, being referred to the Agriculture Committee and then the Finance Committee

SB11- Orphan Oil and Gas Well Prevention Act, being referred to the Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee then the Finance Committee

SB12- Requiring Department of Human Services to update long-term care and substance abuse treatment services in certain areas, being referred to the Health and Human Resources Committee then the Finance Committee

SB13- Establishing residency requirements for candidates seeking nomination and election to US Congress, being referred to the Judiciary Committee

SB14- Relating to nonferrous metal sales and transportation to secondary recycler, being referred to the Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee and then the Finance Committee

SB15- Requiring Department of Human Services file petition to terminate parental rights under certain circumstances, being referred to the Judiciary Committee

SB16- Clarifying requirements for filing occupational pneumoconiosis claims, being referred to the Banking and Insurance Committee and then the Finance Committee

SB17- Fetal Heartbeat Act, being referred to the Health and Human Resources Committee and then the Judiciary Committee

SB18- Allowing county commissions to impose amusement tax, being referred to the Government Organization Committee and then the Finance Committee

SB19- Providing civil and criminal immunity for use of force in defense of self, real and personal property, being referred to the Judiciary Committee

SB20- Requiring funding for increased costs to volunteer fire departments and EMS units, being referred to the Government Organization Committee, then the Finance Committee

SB21- Assessing wildlife impact fee on wind power projects, being referred to the Natural Resources Committee, then the Finance Committee

SB22- Applying penalties for nonpayment of royalties under terms of oil and natural gas leases, being referred to the Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee

SB23- Creating Special Road Repair Fund, being referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, then the Finance Committee

SB24- Requiring certain probationers to participate in work release program and six months in work release center, being referred to the Judiciary Committee, then the Finance Committee

SB25- Creating WV Coal Marketing Program, being referred to the Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee, then the Finance Committee

SB26- Authorizing proceeds and application of hotel occupancy tax to municipalities and county commissions, being referred to the Economic Development Committee, then the Government Organization Committee

SB223- Establishing statewide health and safety fee for tourism and recreational activities by county commissions, being referred to the Government Organization Committee

Introduced by Senate Majority Leader Patrick Martin (R-Lewis):

SB269- Modifying requirements for public water systems or businesses having backflow preventers, referred to the Government Organization Committee

SB270- Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency, referred to the Judiciary Committee

SB271- Natural Resources Anti-Commandeering Act, referred to the Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee, then the Judiciary Committee

SB272- Prohibiting discriminatory practices by financial institution or government entity against firearms manufacturers, referred to the Banking and Insurance Committee then the Judiciary Committee

SB273- Preventing public water and sewer utilities from prohibiting customer from constructing, installing, or maintaining connection to public utility, referred to the Judiciary Committee

SB274- Prohibiting parking fee for accessible parking space bearing international symbol of access, referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure and then the Finance Committee

With a potentially monumental session coming up in the WV Legislature, this website has officially started to track all the movement with bills, committee, the budget (which is sure to become a major issue within the super-duper GOP majority and Governor), education, social issues, guns, health, government organization and more!

Subscribe and follow along at wvtracker.com!