DAY 1 LIVE BLOG- LEGISLATURE RETURNS
It should be a short day in the Capitol, but their could be a little fight in the House over the rules package, and will the Senate continue its tradition from the Blair days of passing bills on Day 1
UPDATE 1:08 PM:
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.