In Review
Under The Dome delivers a review of issues being considered by the West Virginia
Legislature. It provides information on matters that affect WVU and higher education,
as well as other hot topics being addressed that affect the Mountain State and
its citizens. This edition includes highlights from Governor Morrisey’s second
State of the State, the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, a review of bills introduced and
bills moving through the legislative process, and the upcoming budget hearings.
State of the State
Last week, Governor Morrisey delivered his second State of the State address. He called for a decrease in the personal income tax and an average 3% pay raise for State employees. He also said that his administration would be introducing legislation to create a program to bring thousands of foster children back to West Virginia and a plan to spend the $199 million the State was awarded through the Rural Health Transformation initiative. Modeled after Mississippi’s improvements in reading and literacy, the Governor also plans to introduce a digital literacy program to better connect school children with technology and software to help their outcomes. Finally, the Governor asked for $20 million to enhance state parks to help the tourism sector.
Introduced Budget
Governor Morrisey introduced a balanced budget to the Legislature. The Governor
is reporting a $128 million surplus through the first half of this fiscal year.
While his budget reduces agencies by 2%, he improved line items overall by including
funding for an average 3% pay raise, employer costs for PEIA, and the higher education
funding formula. For WVU, this means $4.8 million more than last year’s final appropriation.
The bills (House Bill 2027 and Senate Bill 250) will be considered by the Finance
Committees later in session.
Budget Hearings
WVU President Michael T. Benson will appear before the House Finance Committee
on February 4 at 9 a.m. to present the WVU budget request. The hearing audio will
be live-streamed, and more information will be shared closer to the date.
West Virginia Collaboratory
House Bill 4002 will create the West Virginia Collaboratory. Modeled after North
Carolina, this legislation will allow the Collaboratory to support research projects
at institutions of higher education for public benefit and the practical use of
state and local governments.
The bill establishes an advisory board that will include representatives of the
Legislature, Higher Education Policy Commission, and 3 universities: WVU, Marshall,
and West Virginia State University. Two additional seats on the board will be filled
by citizens who possess a broad understanding of the relationship between public
and private sector research.
The bill passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday. It now goes to the House
floor for passage and will then move to the Senate for consideration.
Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act
House Bill 4014 is Governor Morrisey’s proposal to encourage micro-credentialing,
make portable benefits available for workers, and accelerate the ability of military
personnel and retirees to enter the workforce. The legislation would require Commerce
and Economic Development to collaborate with the Department of Education, Higher
Education Policy Commission, institutions of higher education, and business and
industry to develop joint criteria, curriculum, competencies, assessments, and
class credit for specific micro-credential programs.
Bills Introduced
More than 1,200 bills have already been introduced in the House and Senate. Some
of the high-profile bills include:
Senate Bills
- SB 41 – Creating Standardized Testing Choice Act
- SB 69 – Requiring higher education institutions to accept Classic Learning Test
- SB 125 – Providing medical examination transportation services for students who seek support after experiencing sexual violence
- SB 166 – Relating to eligibility for West Virginia Invests Grant Program
- SB 177 – Providing certified law enforcement officers tuition-free education up to highest tuition rate for public higher education in West Virginia
- SB 202 – Exempting certain military veterans and their dependents from tuitions
- SB 236 – Relating to trespassing on premises of higher education institution
- SB 250 – Budget Bill
- SB 392 – Relating to personal income tax reduction
- SB 398 – Removing full time requirement for health officers
- SB 399 – Creating the Bring Them Home Fund
- SB 401 – Exempting certain employees from classified civil service system
- SB 403 – Relating to expanding definition of tourism attraction
- SB 414 – Keep Accreditation about Academics Act
- SB 445 – Adding WVU Potomac State College as eligible institution for participation in Learn and Earn Program
- SB 476 – Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act
- SB 483 – Creating West Virginia Officials Training Program Act
House Bills
- HB 4002 – Establishing the West Virginia Collaboratory
- HB 4015 – Tourism Development Credit Act
- HB 4020 – Removing full time requirement for health offices
- HB 4021 – Bring Them Home FundHB 4023 – Relating to updating corporate net income tax definitions
- HB 4025 – Exempting certain employees from Civil Service System
- HB 4055 – Relating to the membership of the Hope Scholarship Board
- HB 4081 – To create the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant
- HB 4082 – Require the West Virginia Department of Education to provide complete and in-depth budget for review to the Legislature
- HB 4087 – To create a West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance
- HB 4102 – Requiring publicly funded medical schools to teach certain life-saving methods
- HB 4116 – Relating to eligibility for West Virginia Invests Grant Program
- HB 4119 – Establishing the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program
- HB 4189 – Relating to Hope Scholarship Awards
- HB 4193 – Per credit tuition for West Virginia community colleges
- HB 4474 – Extending the Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council sunset date
- HB 4479 – Timber Innovation and Manufacturing Boost for Economic Revitalization Act
- HB 4485 – Allow education employees to donate sick leave to co-workers for maternity leave
- HB 4533 – Including WVU Potomac State college in the definition of community and
technical college education program for participation in the Learn and Earn Program
Legislative Calendar
- Monday, February 2 – Rule-Making Review Bills Due
- Tuesday, February 3 – Universities United Legislative Reception
- Wednesday, February 4 – WVU and WVU Extension Day at the Legislature
- Tuesday, February 17 – Last Day to Introduce Bills in the House
- Thursday, February 19 – Undergraduate Day at the Legislature
- Monday, February 23 – Last Day to Introduce Bills in the Senate
- Sunday, March 1 – Bills Due Out of Committee
- Wednesday, March 4 – Final Day to Consider Bill on 3rd Reading (50th Day)
- Saturday, March 14 – Adjournment at Midnight (60th Day)
You're Invited
More Information
To learn more about the Legislature, including district maps, committee assignments,
bill tracking, and a summary of daily activities, please visit
wvlegislature.gov.
To learn more about WVU government relations and legislative initiatives, please
visit
governmentrelations.wvu.edu or contact
Travis Mollohan, associate vice president of government relations, at
tmolloh1@mail.wvu.edu
or
Dan Kimble, director of state relations, at
dkimble3@mail.wvu.edu.