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West Virginia Watch
Congress speeds through short-term government funding bill before Friday shutdown deadline
WASHINGTON — Congress will have until early March to finish work it was supposed to complete last fall — and will avert a partial government shutdown — under a bill both chambers approved with broad bipartisan support Thursday. The 77-18 vote in the Senate and 314-108 vote in the House sent the bill to President […] The post Congress speeds through short-term government funding bill before Friday shutdown deadline appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Senate bill would add photo of cardholder to EBT cards
A West Virginia Senate committee on Thursday advanced a bill that would require that every electronic benefit transfer card issued in the state include a photo of the cardholder. EBT cards, similar to bank cards, allow recipients of certain federal programs to make purchases electronically. West Virginia uses EBT to disperse benefits to recipients of […] The post Senate bill would add photo of cardholder to EBT cards appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Hispanic and progressive Democrats protest proposals to limit asylum for immigrants
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from the Congressional Hispanic and Progressive caucuses appealed to U.S. Senate negotiators Thursday to abandon a plan to curb U.S. asylum laws and diminish the president’s ability to grant special protections for immigrants escaping war and natural disasters. The Democratic U.S. House members stood against a backdrop of immigrants and asylum seekers […] The post Hispanic and progressive Democrats protest proposals to limit asylum for immigrants appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Utilities plan onsite gas storage to improve reliability; critics warn of costs, safety concerns
As the U.S. electric power system has become more reliant on natural gas plants, it’s also become more vulnerable to gas system failures. During Winter Storm Elliott in 2022, about 18% of the anticipated power supply in the portion of the grid that serves the entire eastern half of the United States, called the Eastern […] The post Utilities plan onsite gas storage to improve reliability; critics warn of costs, safety concerns appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
What are we waiting for? Legislators, our child welfare system needs immediate action.
Do you remember the old Dutch tale about a boy who stuck his finger in a leaking dike to save his country from a great flood? It’s a story about courage and conviction in taking action to prevent the devastation of immediate danger. We are at a similar juncture with the plight of West Virginia’s […] The post What are we waiting for? Legislators, our child welfare system needs immediate action. appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
House Judiciary advances mugshot prohibition bill
A House of Delegates committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would prohibit the state Division of Corrections from publishing the booking photos of people who have not been convicted of crimes. The legislation would remove booking photographs from the public record and make them not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and may […] The post House Judiciary advances mugshot prohibition bill appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Judge considers ‘proper sanctions’ against state health department over deleted foster care emails
Sanctions are still pending against the state health department over its role in deleted emails tied to a sweeping class-action foster care lawsuit. U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Eifert acknowledged on Wednesday, during a hearing in Huntington, that health department officials inadequately failed to preserve emails from former top department officials. “You guys really didn’t do […] The post Judge considers ‘proper sanctions’ against state health department over deleted foster care emails appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Members of U.S. Senate, advocates discuss problems in states that limit abortion access
WASHINGTON — Abortion rights advocates and Democrats in the U.S. Senate pressed for a return to legal, safe access throughout the country during a briefing Wednesday. The nearly three-hour conversation, held in the Capitol Visitors Center, featured doctors speaking about the challenges they and their patients face in states that have implemented restrictions on abortion […] The post Members of U.S. Senate, advocates discuss problems in states that limit abortion access appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
ACLU files suit against Wheeling over camping ban
The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the city of Wheeling over a camping ban it says criminalizes being homeless. The ACLU filed the lawsuit late Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Wheeling against the city and city manager Robert Herron on behalf of Heather […] The post ACLU files suit against Wheeling over camping ban appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
U.S. Senate moves to avoid a partial government shutdown, but time running short
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote Tuesday to advance a short-term spending bill, but both chambers of Congress must approve the legislation before a Friday funding deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown. The 68-13 procedural vote moves the bill toward a final vote in the Senate in the coming days, […] The post U.S. Senate moves to avoid a partial government shutdown, but time running short appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
As more states add paid family leave, advocates say there’s a need for federal policy
When the Minnesota legislature was debating a paid sick leave bill last year, business owners argued that such a law would not allow them to provide as many employee “perks” or be as “adaptive” to employee needs as they say they would be without such a requirement. But a half dozen witnesses made a case […] The post As more states add paid family leave, advocates say there’s a need for federal policy appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Efforts to exclude testing strips from drug paraphernalia gains traction in Senate
A legislative priority for criminal justice reform advocates to remove all testing strips from the definition of drug paraphernalia in state code is advancing through the Senate. Lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted in support of Senate Bill 269 on Tuesday. The bill now moves to the full Senate for a second reading […] The post Efforts to exclude testing strips from drug paraphernalia gains traction in Senate appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Child tax credit expansion, business incentives combined in new congressional tax plan
WASHINGTON — Leading members of Congress released a bipartisan, bicameral tax proposal Tuesday, promising a middle-path deal to help low-income families and provide incentives for businesses as Trump-era tax breaks expire. The framework led by top tax policy leaders U.S. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Republican Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri would raise the child […] The post Child tax credit expansion, business incentives combined in new congressional tax plan appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Teachers’ choice to teach intelligent design would be protected under bill — at teens’ request
Teenagers returned to the Senate on Tuesday to again advocate for teachers’ choice to educate students about intelligent design. “I’m not asking for this to be required. I’m asking for this to be permissible,” said Haden Hodge, a 16-year-old Hurricane High School student. Last year, Hodge asked lawmakers to consider a similar piece of legislation. […] The post Teachers’ choice to teach intelligent design would be protected under bill — at teens’ request appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Health departments’ $279M requests didn’t include recommended pay raise for home care workers
The state health department didn’t ask the governor for pay raises for its direct care staff — including workers in nursing homes and those caring for patients with disabilities — despite a study showing it was a pressing need amid a worker shortage. Care workers now earn around $11 an hour. As Gov. Jim Justice […] The post Health departments’ $279M requests didn’t include recommended pay raise for home care workers appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Children’s nutrition program, revved up in the pandemic, faces severe cuts
A federal program built to improve nutrition for new mothers and kids is growing for the first time in over a decade, thanks to changes made during the pandemic. Since its pilot program began in 1974, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — better known as WIC — has provided food, […] The post Children’s nutrition program, revved up in the pandemic, faces severe cuts appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
‘For God’s sakes-a-livin” — A closer look at Gov. Justice’s final State of the State address
Gov. Jim Justice gave his eighth and final State of the State address last week, and although there were no dog butts or loads of bullcrap, there was lots to dissect. Let’s take a look at what he said. “Do you realize that if we left here, right this minute, and we headed to the […] The post ‘For God’s sakes-a-livin” — A closer look at Gov. Justice’s final State of the State address appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Wheeling homeless services providers join ACLU in opposition to urban camping ban
Representatives from more than two dozen Wheeling-area homeless service providers have joined the ACLU in asking the city to delay enforcing its urban camping ban until the managed camp portion of the law can be established. “As it stands, it is not possible for people experiencing homelessness to follow the camping ban,” Monday’s letter reads. […] The post Wheeling homeless services providers join ACLU in opposition to urban camping ban appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Hospitality workers’ wages are rising faster than high earners’ in most states
Pay hikes over the past four years have lifted the wages of people who work in hospitality — the nation’s lowest-paid industry — nearly 30% on average, reversing much of the wage inequality that has been growing for decades in the United States. In 40 states, even those that haven’t raised their minimum wage beyond […] The post Hospitality workers’ wages are rising faster than high earners’ in most states appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Justice: ‘I’d have to see’ Fairness Act before signing it
As an LGBTQ civil rights organization continues to advocate for a state law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, West Virginia’s chief executive seemed to punt Friday when a reporter asked whether he would sign such a bill if it came across his desk. “First and foremost, I’d have to see the […] The post Justice: ‘I’d have to see’ Fairness Act before signing it appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
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West Virginia Watch is an independent, nonpartisan news service based in Charleston. Our journalists will hold public officials and agencies accountable, and inform West Virginians of what’s going on behind closed doors. We focus on issues that affect our state every day – such as poverty, access to health care, the foster care system – with an aim of filling the gaps in coverage caused by shrinking newsrooms. The Watch is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit network supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. We retain full editorial independence. West Virginia Watch is free to read without paywalls or subscription fees.
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