For The Inter-Mountain
As I write this Sunday, I’m still recovering from the end of the 2021 legislative session that ended at midnight Saturday. It was truly a 60-day rollercoaster and certainly a session for the history books. I’m going to highlight several things that happened this session, so bear with me.
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First, I will be happy when the legislative session next year returns to some form of normalcy. I surely hope next year we’re not still operating under COVID-19 restrictions. As much as the video and audio streams make things easier, it’s also better to be on the floor, face-to-face with lawmakers.
This is a developing list and may be updated.
Updated on April 9, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Education has been a top issue for lawmakers in this year s West Virginia legislative session as learning was upended significantly amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Among those priority bills in the 60-day session included measures advancing school choice in K-12 education and establishing the West Virginia Jumpstart Savings Program in higher education.
One-third of K-12 students in West Virginia failed at least one core subject in fall 2020, according to the West Virginia Department of Education. The WVDE attributes this dip in learning to children being jostled back-and-forth from in-person, remote, virtual and hybrid schooling.
Photo Courtesy/W Legislative Photography
Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Ryan Weld.
CHARLESTON A bill supported by the natural gas industry and opposed by gas-producing counties was changed Tuesday to the chagrin of the bill’s lead sponsor in the West Virginia Legislature.
A strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 2581, providing for the valuation of natural resources property and an alternate method of appeal of proposed valuation of natural resources property, was adopted. The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.
HB 2581 would provide a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties by the State Tax Commissioner. A state Supreme Court case two years ago struck down part of the methodology the department uses to value active oil and natural gas well sites.
Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Ryan Weld. (Photo Provided)
CHARLESTON A bill supported by the natural gas industry and opposed by gas-producing counties was changed Tuesday to the chagrin of the bill’s lead sponsor in the West Virginia Legislature.
A strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 2581, providing for the valuation of natural resources property and an alternate method of appeal of proposed valuation of natural resources property, was adopted. The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.
HB 2581 would provide a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties by the State Tax Commissioner. A state Supreme Court case two years ago struck down part of the methodology the department uses to value active oil and natural gas well sites.
For The Intelligencer
CHARLESTON A bill supported by the natural gas industry and opposed by gas-producing counties was changed Tuesday to the chagrin of the bill’s lead sponsor in the West Virginia Legislature.
A strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 2581, providing for the valuation of natural resources property and an alternate method of appeal of proposed valuation of natural resources property, was adopted. The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.
HB 2581 would provide a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties by the State Tax Commissioner. A state Supreme Court case two years ago struck down part of the methodology the department uses to value active oil and natural gas well sites.