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 WVU and WVU Extension Day at the Legislature, House Finance Budget Hearing, and a review of bills introduced and bills moving through the legislative process.
WVU and WVU Extension Day
The WVU community gathered from across the state and University for the annual Day at the Legislature. President Michael T. Benson, alongside WVU Tech President T. Ramon Stuart, WVU Potomac State President Jerry Wallace, Mountaineer Cade Kincaid, members of the Board of Governors, deans, faculty, students, and staff joined together to celebrate WVU and our service mission to West Virginia.View Day-of Media Coverage
WVU President Michael T. Benson poses for a photograph wearing a coonskin hat and holding a football with Nathan Sorber, Interim Dean for the College of Applied Human Sciences.
WVU Tech President T. Ramon Stuart visits the WVU culinary table with Steve Roberts, President of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
WVU President Michael T. Benson thanks legislators, board members, faculty, and staff during our WVU Day at the Legislature luncheon.
WVU President Michael T. Benson poses for a selfie with a student from the John Chambers College of Business and Economics.
WVU President Michael T. Benson and WVU Potomac State College President Jerry Wallace.
WVU President Michael T. Benson scans books at the Energy Express table.
Travis Mollohan, Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Collaboration speaks during our WVU Day at the Legislature luncheon.
Universities United
Students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni from WVU and Marshall came together in Charleston to celebrate Universities United. In its fourth year, the joint event showcases our collaborative work and engagement to advance and support the state. Presidents Benson and Smith addressed the crowd and thanked legislators and state leaders for their support at the Culture Center. The WVU Health System, Marshall University Research Corporation and Marshall Foundation partnered with the two universities to host the evening.
WVU mascot, the Mountaineer, and Marshall mascot, the Bison, connect for a photo.
WVU President Michael T. Benson addresses the room, celebrating the shared success of both universities
WVU President Michael T. Benson, Marshall President Brad D. Smith, and the mascots — the Mountaineer and the Bison.
WVU and Marshall attendees at the Culture Center.
WVU Medicine Leaders with President Benson.
Budget Hearings
President Benson and Vice Provost Mark Gavin appeared before the House Finance Committee on Wednesday morning to deliver an update on WVU finances, enrollment increases, retention improvements, research growth, and academic programs and to share opportunities for investment in the state’s flagship university.
Learn and Earn
Senate Bill 445 makes WVU Potomac State College a fully eligible institution to participate in the Learn and Earn Program. The bill passed the House in previous sessions and stalled in the Senate. This year, however, the bill unanimously passed the Senate and will be considered by the House.
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 higher education institutions 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 on January 27 in a 76-12 vote. It now
goes to the Senate for consideration where it will be heard
in the Senate Education Committee.
BOG Voting Rights
A pair of bills have been introduced in the Senate to restore voting rights for certain members of higher education boards of governors. Senate Bill 551 would restore voting rights for student, faculty, and staff representatives, while Senate Bill 675 would restore voting rights for students.
Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act
Senate Bill 502 establishes the Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act. The bill allows for institutions to set up an endowment fund to support women’s collegiate sports and to fund that endowment through cost-saving measures, donor gifts, or other appropriation.
Tobacco Cessation
House Bill 4629 creates an exemption from the State’s tobacco usage restriction laws for medical cessation and research programs at an institution of higher education. The bill passed the House 87-5 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Rural Health Transformation
Following the announcement of the $199 million award for the Rural Health Transformation Program, Governor Morrisey introduced bills to authorize use of the funding. House Bill 4740 creates the statutory mechanisms to distribute the funding and award grants from the federal appropriation. The bill passed the House on February 3 in a 92-1 vote. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Health and Aid Grant
House Bill 4081 creates the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant. It would allow the Higher Education Policy Commission to apply for and administer grants to enhance or develop programs to address food insecurity, student health, or hygiene inadequacies. The bill passed the House on January 23 in a 71-22 vote and now goes to the Senate where it will be considered by the Education and Finance committees.
Bills Introduced
More than 1,900 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 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 WV Invests Grant Program
- SB 177 – Providing certified law enforcement officers tuition-free education up to highest tuition rate for public higher education in WV
- 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 396 – Creating WV Job Training and Placement Act
- 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 402 – Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act
- SB 403 – Relating to expanding definition of tourism attraction
- SB 414 – Keep Accreditation About Academics Act
- SB 445 – Adding Potomac State College as eligible institution for participation in Learn and Earn Program
- SB 476 – Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act
- SB 483 – Creating WV Officials Training Program Act
- SB 490 – Approving Short-Term Training Programs for Eligibility for federal Workforce Pell Grants
- SB 536 – Relating to qualifications for serving on academic boards
- SB 551 – Restoring voting rights to faculty, student, and employee members of institutional boards of governors
- SB 609 – Exempting students of higher education from compulsory vaccination requirements
- SB 618 – Prohibiting public funds from supporting low-earning outcome postsecondary degree programs
- SB 675 – Relating to composition of boards of governors in
higher education
House Bills
- HB 4002 – Establishing the West Virginia Collaboratory
- HB 4004 – Creating of the Recharge West Virginia Program
- HB 4006 – Creating the WV Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act
- HB 4014 – Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act
- HB 4015 – Tourism Development Credit Act
- HB 4020 – Removing Full Time Requirement for Health Offices
- HB 4021 – Bring Them Home Fund
- HB 4023 – Relating to Updating Corporate Net Income Tax Definitions
- HB 4025 – Exempting Certain Employees from Civil Service System
- HB 4027 – Budget bill
- HB 4065 – Relating to the membership of the Hope Scholarship Board
- HB 4081 – To create the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant
- HB 4082 – Require the WV 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 WV Invests Grant Program
- HB 4119 – Establishing the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program
- HB 4152 – Workforce Education Partnership Act
- HB 4153 – WV Skilled and Ready to Work Internship and Apprenticeship Incentive Act
- HB 4189 – Relating to Hope Scholarship Awards
- HB 4193 – Per Credit Tuition for WV Community Colleges
- HB 4446 – Firefighter Pilot Program
- 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 Potomac State college in the definition of community and technical college education program for participation in the Learn and Earn Program
- HB 4587 – Prohibiting public funds from supporting low-earning outcome postsecondary degree programs
- HB 4592 – Relating to College Campus Safety
- HB 4629 – Relating to medical cessation treatment and research
- HB 4701 – Creation of the West Virginia Math and Science Teacher Scholarship Act
- HB 4717 – Supplemental appropriation for Rural Health Transformation Program
- HB 4765 – Teacher, School Personnel, and State Police Pay Raise
- HB 4768 – Updating definitions to incorporate federal law changes to qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts
- HB 4810 – Relating to dental health care service plans
- HB 4917 – Relating to termination of the certificate of need program
- HB 4947 – Allow religious exemptions for vaccines
- HB 4958 – Create the Southern Coalfield Resiliency and Revitalization Program
- HB 5010 – Prohibiting institutions of higher education and
affiliate organizations from accepting gifts, partnerships,
or other funding relationships from foreign adversaries
Legislative Calendar
- 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 – Crossover Day (50th Day)
- Saturday, March 14 – Adjournment at Midnight (60th Day)
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.
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