Gov. Jim Justice has signed into law, on March 27, 2024, legislation to remove a sunset provision on West Virginia gas and oil tax assessment methodology backed by the industry but unpopular with landowners and tax officials in gas-producing counties. The law, House Bill 4850, eliminates a sunset provision that was slated to go into effect July 1, 2025.
On Feb. 28, 2024, the West Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 618, which would regulate forest carbon offset agreements at a Division of Forestry-estimated cost of millions to the state. The fate of Senate Bill 822, a bill aimed at restricting carbon offset agreements, was uncertain as of press time Wednesday.
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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, didn t advance after two Democrats criticized it on the Senate floor Wednesday.
The executive director of West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, or VOAD, is retiring a month after testimony she gave to the Joint Legislative Flooding Committee prompted the state to refer state appropriations to the organization to state investigators. Jenny Gannaway, the executive director, admitted to taking items donated to the organization for personal use and hiring employees to be employees.