Day 34: Governor Justice gets back on the tax cut bandwagon
And the House has the DHHR overhaul on the floor this week
Good morning and welcome back to 60 Days.
Today is February 13th, 2023, the 34th day of the West Virginia Legislature’s regular session.
It’s also Chuck Yeager’s birthday. The Lincoln County native, World War II fighter ace and legendary test pilot would have been 100 today. He broke the sound barrier on October 14th, 1947.
Neither Dave nor I are able to grant you tax relief, but Governor Jim Justice can’t simply wave his hand and do it on his own, either.
As part of his campaign to bring the public to his side, the Governor is hosting a roundtable at the West Virginia Culture Center on the Capitol Grounds in Charleston. It begins at noon today and features the Republican tax reform activist Grover Norquist and Stephen Moore, a well-known economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
A press release from the Governor’s office says the public is invited to watch the roundtable on Justice’s YouTube channel and his other social media profiles, but the event itself is by invitation only.
As a reminder of where things stand on the tax issue — Governor Justice’s proposal to cut the personal income tax by 50% over three years easily passed the House of Delegates early in the session, but then it languished while Senate leaders came up with their own competing proposal, which was unveiled last week. It’s now in the House’s lap after the Senate suspended rules that require bills be read on three consecutive days and passed the plan.
House Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss (R-Wood) told our friends at West Virginia Public Broadcasting that negotiations are underway.
One of the notable bills that will be on the floor when the Senate convenes at 11 a.m. today is S.B. 47, which would create a stimulus fund aimed at helping public charter schools get off the ground. The bill’s lead sponsor is Sen. Patricia Rucker (R-Jefferson), who chairs the Senate’s new School Choice Committee. Her bill is on third reading, which means senators could send it to the House today.
Other Senate bills on third reading:
Eng. Com. Sub. for Com. Sub. for S. B. 187 - Making it felony offense for school employee or volunteer to engage in sexual contact with students
Eng. S. B. 237 - Relating to Public Employees Retirement System and State Teachers Retirement System
Eng. Com. Sub. for S. B. 290 - Relating to dental health care service plans
Eng. Com. Sub. for S. B. 472 - Creating criminal offense of indecent exposure in front of minors - (With right to amend)
Eng. S. B. 487 - Extending additional modification reducing federal adjusted gross income
Eng. Com. Sub. for S. B. 505 - Supplementing and amending appropriations to Department of Administration, Office of Secretary
Eng. S. B. 508 - Clarifying reporting and disclosure requirements for grassroots lobbying expenditures
Eng. Com. Sub. for S. B. 516 - Relating to requirements for disclosure of donor contributions
Eng. Com. Sub. for S. B. 527 - Allowing family members of military personnel access to discharge records
And here is the Senate’s committee schedule:
1 p.m.: Military (208W) Agenda TBA
1 p.m.: Transportation and Infrastructure (451M)
Com. Sub. for SCR 3: Dr. Roland P. Sharp Memorial Road
Com. Sub. for SCR 4: Ira 'Noon' Copley and Marie Copley Memorial Bridge
Com. Sub. for SCR 6: US Army SGT Vincent DiBacco Memorial Bridge
SCR 8: US Army PV 2 Harold Richard Plumley Memorial Bridge
Com. Sub. for SB 440: Authorizing DOH pay current obligations from State Road Fund
Com. Sub. for SB 455: Modifying certain used car restrictions
2 p.m.: Agriculture and Natural Resources (208W) Agenda TBA
2 p.m.: Banking and Insurance (451M)
SB 430: Relating to State Treasurer's authority to contract with financial institutions for banking goods and services
SB 555: Prohibiting banks and payment networks from tracking firearm-related data and outlining penalties
SB 562: Relating to operation of private trust companies in WV
3 p.m.: Finance (451M)
SB 151: Relating to levying tax on pass-through entity's income
Com. Sub. for SB 579: Providing payment to vendors not paid due to an agency's budget limit
The thing to watch in the House is not at the passage stage today, but it will likely be there tomorrow.
We’re talking about the closely watched effort to split the sprawling state Department of Health and Human Resources into the three agencies - the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Health Facilities.
H.B. 2006 is on second reading today, the amendment stage. It was advanced to the House floor by the Finance Committee last week.
The Senate passed its version of the DHHR overhaul on the first day of the session.
Several bills will be at the passage stage when the House convents at 11 a.m. today:
Com. Sub. for H. B. 2621 - Relating generally to bail bondsman
H. B. 2899 - Repealing two sections of code relating to gas utility rates
Com. Sub. for H. B. 3111 - Creating Infrastructure Ready Jurisdictions
H. B. 3268 - Add protections for WV residents who reside out of state for certain time periods from non-renewal of licenses and registration
Com. Sub. for H. B. 3306 - Relating to the organizational structure of the Office of Drug Control Policy
H. B. 3307 - Establishing the West Virginia-Ireland Trade Commission
And here is the House committee schedule:
9:30 a.m. Committee on the Judiciary - Room 410-M
10:45 a.m. Committee on Rules - Behind Chamber
1:00 p.m. Committee on Government Organization - Room 215-E
2:00 p.m. Committee on Education - Room 432-M
3:00 p.m. Committee on Finance - Room 460-M
If today’s briefing seems a little slim, it’s because your briefer wanted to watch the Super Bowl last night.
Don’t worry, Dave will be back tomorrow morning. I feel confident that he will bring us back up to our usual standard, such as it is.
When you’re done snickering, please do get in touch and tells us what you think about 60 Days.
I’m on Twitter @gilessnyder and Dave can be found @davemistich. You can always hit the button to leave a comment or email us at 60daysgilesdave@gmail.com.
I don't have my printable words gathered enough to give comments about one of my least favorite persons in WV. Hopefully, I will before too long...Tsk, tsk, tsk........
It's nice to read "human comments" also. So, did your favorite win or was it just an exciting game? Hope you had enough coffee and food to get you thru ... Thanks.