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 high-profile topics that affect the Mountain State and its citizens.
This edition includes highlights from the budget compromise and updates on bills
that survived Crossover Day.
Budget Compromise
A budget compromise has been reached by the Legislature. SB 250 was passed on Thursday
morning by the Senate and later that same day by the House. It now heads to the
Governor’s desk for approval.
West Virginia University's base appropriation was increased by approximately
$7.7 million, which includes a 3% increase for pay raises, a 3% increase for
PEIA employer costs, and the funding formula inflation adjustment. The compromise
budget also reverses the 2% agency cut for higher education institutions from
the Governor’s introduced version.
In a separate bill, HB 5682, the Legislature passed supplemental, one-time funding of $32 million for the WVU School of Medicine and $5 million for the WVU School of Dentistry. The funding will be used to expand programs and improve classrooms, lab space, and student-facing areas, while $5 million will be used to improve the main student clinic within the School of Dentistry, matching more than $27 million secured through the Congressionally Directed Spending program to renovate Dentistry’s facilities.
Learn and Earn Program
House Bill 5212, which reforms and makes higher education aid and grant programs more efficient, has a section that makes WVU Potomac State College a fully eligible institution to participate in the Learn and Earn Program. The bill passed Senate Education and is presently in Senate Finance. It is part of a larger HEPC Bill that is expected to pass.West Virginia Collaboratory
House Bill 4002 creates the West Virginia Collaboratory. Modeled after North
Carolina, this legislation allows the Collaboratory to support higher
education institutions' research projects for public benefit and the practical
use of state and local governments. The Bill presently is in the Senate Education
Committee and is expected to be taken up in the remaining days of Session.
The bill establishes an advisory board that includes representatives of the Legislature, Higher Education Policy Commission, and three universities: WVU, Marshall, and West Virginia State. Two additional seats on the board are to 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 but has not been taken up in Senate Education yet.
BOG Voting Rights
A pair of bills were 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 students, faculty, and staff representatives, while Senate Bill 675 would restore voting rights for students. Both bills did not survive Crossover Day and are considered dead for this Legislative Session.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. The bill is presently in House Education with a second reference to House Finance.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 rests in Senate Health. It
is expected to be taken up in the remaining days of Session.
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 awaits consideration by the Education and Finance committees.Bills Introduced
A combined 2770 bills were introduced in the House and Senate. Among the bills of interest that survived Crossover Day include:SENATE BILLS
- SB 250, Budget Bill
- SB 392, Relating to personal income tax reduction
- SB 398, Removing full time requirement for health officers
- SB 402, Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act
- SB 403, Relating to expanding definition of "tourism attraction"
- SB 445, Adding Potomac State College as eligible institution for participation in Learn and Earn Program
- SB 490, Approving short-term training programs for Workforce Pell eligibility
- SB 502, Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act
- SB 531, Establishing First Amendment Preservation Act
- SB 536, Relating to qualifications for serving on certain academic boards
- SB 570, Supplemental Appropriation to Department of Health, fund 8802
- SB 618, Prohibiting public funds from supporting low-earning outcome postsecondary degree programs
- SB 781, Supplemental appropriation for Civil Contingent Fund, fund 0105
- SB 913, Removing annual report requirement for West Virginia Research Trust Fund
HOUSE BILLS
- HB 4001, Creating TEAM-WV Corporation
- HB 4002, Establishing the West Virginia Collaboratory
- HB 4004, Creating the Recharge West Virginia Program
- HB 4005, Skills to work
- HB 4006, Creating Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act
- HB 4025, Exempting certain employees from the classified civil service system
- HB 4081, Creating the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant
- HB 4087, Creating a West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance
- HB 4433, Prohibiting Human Smuggling and Trafficking
- HB 4474, Extending the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council sunset date
- HB 4588, Relating to participating in the federal tax credit scholarship program
- HB 4592, Relating to college campus safety
- HB 4629, Relating to medical cessation treatment and research
- HB 4740, Statutory Commitments in Rural Health Transformation Program
- HB 4768, Relating to updating definitions to incorporate federal law changes to qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts
- HB 5074, Relating to changing the allocation of proceeds in the Medical Cannabis Program Fund
- HB 5110, Amend section providing for waiver of tuition and fees for senior citizens auditing certain college classes
- HB 5212, Relating to financial aid for post-secondary education
- HB 5354, Relating to authorizing legislative rules regarding higher education
- HB 5430, Relating to pharmaceutical benefits
- HB 5682, Supplemental Appropriation to expire funds to surplus balance of General Revenue