Day Three: Democrats push back on Governor's proposals
It's Friday...the 13th
Good morning and welcome back to 60 Days.
Today is Friday, January 13th — the third day of the West Virginia Legislature’s regular session.
Just my luck that I drew the short straw on an ostensibly unlucky day, but here I am.
Hit the button and pass the coffee, please.
As the House and Senate Finance Committees began taking a closer look Thursday at Governor Justice’s budget proposal, House Democrats pushed back against the agenda the Governor outlined in his State of the State address, particularly his proposal to cut personal income taxes by 50-percent over three years.
Following the floor session, they took turns speaking at a podium set up outside the House Chamber.
House Minority Leader Doug Skaff said Democrats don’t want to just spend the surplus Republicans are using to justify the tax cut. He said his party wants to “invest in the future of West Virginia and invest in the people of West Virginia.”
And then last night, Skaff appeared alongside Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s The Legislature Today, echoing his earlier remarks that the state needs “to get its house in order” first, saying the lawmakers should be more mindful of the foster care system, PEIA, public education and infrastructure.
But there’s not much Democrats can do to set the legislative agenda. It’s a numbers game — and in the face of the GOP supermajority, they simply don’t have the votes.
The Democratic rebuttal to Governor Justice’s State of the State was streamed live on Facebook. You can find it here — in case you missed it.
In the House Health and Human Resources Committee, lawmakers have advanced a measure that would provide additional support to what the bill calls “pregnancy support programs” in the state. Abortion rights advocates say these sites try to dissuade those who are pregnant from getting an abortion.
That idea is found in a broader bill that aims to increase a tax credit for families who legally adopt a child they are not related to.
Abortion rights advocates have been on high-alert for some time, even after the Legislature imposed a near-total ban on abortions during a September special session following the overturning of Roe. v. Wade.
As lawmakers in the House were wrapping up their work for that special session, the GOP-led House adopted a resolution stating that “the criminalization of abortion must be only the beginning of West Virginia’s post-Roe initiatives.”
During his State of the State address Wednesday night, Governor Justice teased a potential run for the U.S. Senate in 2024, saying “You’ll probably be able to find me at home, or you may find me in Washington — [that’s] one of the two places I’ll be.”
That wasn’t the first time Justice, who is term-limited, hinted at his political future after he leaves the governor’s office. Back in November, he said he was “seriously considering” a run for the seat currently held by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin. Justice would join Alex Mooney, who announced run his intention to run for the GOP nomination immediately after voters in the redrawn 2nd Congressional District sent him back to Washington, D.C.
As for Manchin himself?
He’s been coy about whether he will seek a third six-year term. But his fellow Senate Democrats are apparently working to persuade him to stick around as they seek to keep control of the Senate.
Politico is reporting that getting Manchin and fellow red state senator Jon Tester of Montana to run again is job one for Senate Democrats.
Today at the State Capitol:
The Senate convenes at 9 a.m. with some unfinished business on a couple of bills.
While none are at the amendment or passage stage, expect a whole slew of Senate bills to be introduced. You can find a complete list here.
Also, the Senate Workforce Committe is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. The panel is to hear from Jane Marks, the President of AARP WV and Montgomery Mayor Greg Ingram.
Unlike the Senate, only a couple of bills are expected to be introduced today in the House, which is scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. But before the floor session gets underway, the House Judiciary Committee will meet at 10 a.m.
By the way, today is Mineral County Day at the legislature as well as Eat Right WV Day, which means I’m now thinking twice about that pepperoni roll I was going to have for breakfast. Maybe I’ll give it to Dave and opt for a steaming bowl of oatmeal.
We’ll see you back here on Monday when the House Finance Committee will have not one, but FOUR separate budget hearings.
PS: You can get in touch with Dave and me by simply replying to this email. You can also shoot us a message at this address — 60daysgilesdave@gmail.com. We’re on Twitter as well — @davemistich and @GilesSnyder.