On this episode of The Legislature Today, for our final show, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate, Emily Rice and Jack Walker discuss some of the big bills they've been following this session and what they are keeping an eye on in the final hours. The post Reporter Roundtable Looks Ahead To Final Hours Of 2025 Session appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, microgrids are one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s top legislative priorities this year, and House Bill 2014 is the vehicle to bring more of them to the state. But county officials came to testify earlier this week against the diversion of local property taxes from those facilities to the state. Curtis Tate talks with Kelly Allen of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy about this issue. The post Budget, Policy Expert Talks Microgrids And Tax Revenues appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, Briana Heaney talks with WVPB Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate who has been following several bills this session. As most politicians say, West Virginia is an energy state. Both of West Virginia's U.S. senators were at an event Tuesday sponsored by President Donald Trump where he signed an executive order with the intention of supporting the coal industry. The post A Discussion On Energy appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the DEI bill potentially means. The post A Closer Look At State Lawmakers’ DEI Debate appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, electricity prices have been rising in West Virginia at a rate faster than inflation. This summer, Appalachian Power seeks to increase them more, sparking public protest at the Capitol and the Public Service Commission (PSC). Curtis Tate talks with Gary Zuckett and Shawn Phillips of West Virginia Citizen Action Group to discuss this issue. The post Lawmakers Enter Final Week Of 2025 Regular Session appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the coal and natural gas industries play a large role in the state’s economy and the West Virginia Legislature pays close attention to what's happening in terms of severance taxes, jobs and economic development. For our weekly reporter roundtable, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Energy & Environment Reporter Sarah Elbeshbishi with the nonprofit newsroom Mountain State Spotlight. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks Budget, Energy And FOIA Legislation appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with House Finance Chairman Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and Minority Chair of House Finance Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, about the House budget. The post Delegates Discuss House Version Of State Budget appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
In this episode, Assistant News Director Maria Young talks with Margaret O’Neal, president of United Way of Central West Virginia, who is familiar with the state’s unhoused population. The post A Discussion On The Statewide Camping Ban Legislation appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday that would allow data centers to establish microgrids — self-contained sites that generate their own power. The bill is one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s legislative priorities. It is also of interest to Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Hamilton about issues the coal industry is facing at home and abroad. The post West Virginia Coal Association President Talks Challenges Facing Industry appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, education related topics from teacher pay, to curriculum and school discipline are all issues before the West Virginia Legislature this session. News Director Eric Douglas talks with Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, in our studio about some of the proposed legislation this session and how it affects teachers. The WVEA and the American Federation of Teachers plan to merge this summer to become a single teacher’s union in the state. The post State Education Union Head Weighs In On Session appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Marshall Political Science Prof. Marybeth Beller to discuss the issues around the super majority and getting things accomplished. The post Political Science Professor Talks Challenges To Legislative Goals appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate and Briana Heaney are joined by Caity Coyne, a reporter for the nonprofit news organization West Virginia Watch. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks DEI Ban, Vaccines And Home Rule Legislation appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, to talk about a bill that would remove the ability of cities and towns across the state to set their own rules. It’s called home rule. The post Lawmakers Talk Home Rule appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the state budget continues to work its way through the West Virginia Legislature. We recently heard from Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, a Harrison County Republican and vice chairman of the House Finance Committee. This time, News Director Eric Douglas sits down with Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst at West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the state’s budget from an analyst’s perspective. The post Policy Analyst Weighs In On State Budget appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates for more than two hours debated a bill that would require public schools to accept religious vaccine exemptions. But Senate Bill 460 was rejected, 56-42. The post House Rejects Bill For Vaccine Exemptions appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Jack Walker, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate discuss what legislation their following in this week's reporter roundtable. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks Bills On Microgrids, Vaccine Exemptions And Civics Curriculum appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, a number of bills have moved through the West Virginia Legislature this year that make changes to the practice of medicine in the state. A bill to remove the certificate of need for hospitals failed, but bills allowing optometrists and pharmacists to expand their practice are still moving. Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, has argued against some of these bills so he joined News Director Eric Douglas in our studio to discuss why. The post Lawmaker Talks Potential Changes To Medical Practices In W.Va. appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, to get their take on the budget process so far. The post Finance Committee Lawmakers Weigh In On Budget Bill appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, Jack Walker talks with Eastern Panhandle lawmakers Dels. Michael Hite, R-Berkeley, and Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley. They discuss lawmakers’ approach to regional issues like infrastructure constraints and a higher local cost of living. The post Lawmakers Talk Challenges Unique To Eastern Panhandle appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate speaks with Emmett Pepper of Energy Efficient West Virginia and Lucia Valentine of the West Virginia Environmental Council about energy and environment legislation they’re following, including Senate Bill 592, which would relax safeguards for aboveground storage tanks. The post Energy & Environment Stakeholders Weigh In On Legislative Session appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.