Page 5 - Eric Tarr News Today

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Feb. 28 was Crossover Day, the last day for senators or House delegates to move bills out of their chamber. Lawmakers made progress on some fronts, but other critical issues

A bill that would tax and restrict carbon offset agreements did not advance out of the West Virginia Senate on the final day for most bills to pass out of their house of origin in the 2024 regular legislative session Wednesday, all but assuring its demise. That bill, Senate Bill 822, didnt advance after two Democrats criticized it on the Senate floor Wednesday.

West Virginia leaders have let legislation aimed at promoting small business growth in minority and low-income communities languish while the states Economic Development Authority has approved hundreds of millions of dollars in forgivable loans to large companies. Legislative leaders have brushed aside calls from The Rev. Matthew Watts and the Tuesday Morning Group to back legislation tailored to help small businesses grow in minority and low-income communities.

Senate Bill 840 would reduce the maximum amount to $550 dollars a week.  Senate Bill 841 reduces the duration of benefits. It works on a tiered system based on statewide unemployment numbers. If the statewide unemployment number is under 5 percent — which it currently is —  then the maximum benefit duration would be 12 weeks, cutting it down by more than half.

As about 1,500 West Virginians and about a dozen communities deal with the effects of two major employers announcing they are closing, state lawmakers appear to be tone-deaf to the

Illegal immigration clearly is the top election year issue for Republicans, both at the national and state level, even if a majority of West Virginians have likely never encountered an

The Senate considered bills Friday on welfare programs, the Crown Act, oil and gas taxes, and a bill that would affect West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Senate passed a bill keeping in place a controversial valuation formula for taxing oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, but not before a lawmaker secured a promise from lawmakers to develop a new formula next year. House Bill 4850 — removing the sunset clause from the oil, natural gas, […]

CHARLESTON – Members of the West Virginia Senate referred a bill dealing with discrimination over hairstyles to the Senate Finance Committee Friday with no