Senate Energy Chairman Randy Smith addresses his colleagues. (Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Photography)
A bill aimed at maintaining a place for coal in West Virginia energy has evolved throughout the legislative session, and the final day was no different.
Lawmakers had to work out their differences on the bill right up until the final hours, debating whether to keep a late amendment to establish a “Coal Community Comeback Plan” to examine how to help faltering communities thrive.
The House Republican supermajority voted to rescind the comeback plan amendment on SB542 that they had just narrowly agreed, 49-48, to place in the bill the prior day. The Senate majority expressed concern that the addition went a step too far, and the House majority voted to back off just to assure the original bill would pass.