The Legislature Today

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...

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 Sessi...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Brad McElhinny of MetroNews for our weekly reporter roundtable. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks Food Dye Ban, Virus Legislation And Water Quality appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Del. Cathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, and Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, about the issue of child care in the state and how it is a personal and economic development issue. The post Lawmakers Discuss Child Care Issues appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Jim Brown, the executive director of the West Virginia School Board Association. The group represents the school boards in all 55 counties in West Virginia. They discuss pending legislation that will affect school systems and students.  The post W.Va. School Board Association Head Talks Legislation Aimed At Schools, St...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Assistant News Director Maria Young turned to the issue of legislation related to foster care and adoption as multiple bills wind their way through the two chambers. She spoke with Jaycie Bias, executive director with the West Virginia Foster, Adoptive & Kinship Parents Network, and Rachel Kinder with Mission West Virginia, a non-profit that advocates...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Health Reporter Emily Rice talks with West Virginia’s new secretary of the Department of Human Services, Alex Mayer, to discuss the future of child welfare in a state with more than 6,000 children in its custody. The post New Secretary Talks More Training, Retention Plans For Department Of Human Services appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate and Emily Rice are joined by Lori Kersey from West Virginia Watch for our weekly reporter roundtable. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks Statewide Camping Ban, Addiction And Microgrids appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, legislation to outlaw opioid treatment programs that distribute methadone without offering integrated care in West Virginia, Senate Bill 204, is making its way through the West Virginia Legislature. Emily Rice brings us this story. Also, Assistant News Director Maria Young talks with Sens. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, and Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, about the bill. Th...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate talks with Vice Chair of the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee Del. George Street, R-Preston, and Minority Chair of the Energy and Public Works Committee Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, about energy issues in West Virginia. Among other topics, they discuss rising electricity prices, community solar and data centers. The post Lawmakers Fr...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Deak Kersey, the chief deputy secretary of state and the chief of staff for Secretary Kris Warner, about a series of bills working their way through the state legislature that pertain to elections. They touch on topics including removing ineligible voters from the rolls, clarifying eligibility requirements and prohibit...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate talks with Minority Leaders Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, and Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, to further discuss their priorities and how they see the session so far. The post Minority Leaders Weigh In On Session So Far appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Steven Allan Adams, veteran statehouse reporter for Ogden Newspapers, joins our WVPB reporters for our weekly roundtable. The post Reporter Roundtable Talks PEIA Funding, Election Process And Transgender Identity Issues appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate caught up with two committee chairs: Del. Adam Burkhammer, R-Lewis, the chair of House Human Services, and Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, the chair of Senate Finance. They spoke about the most pressing issues in their committees, including foster care and the state budget. The post Committee Chairs Talk Foster Care, State Budget appeared first...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sat down with two physicians – Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, and Del. Matt Rohrbach, R-Cabell, to discuss the legislation aimed at providing exemptions to childhood immunizations. The post Doctors In Legislature Weigh In On Childhood Vaccine Bill appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with the chairs of House and Senate Education, Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, and Del. Joe Ellington, R-Mercer. They discuss a wide range of topics including school discipline and ways the state can improve the ongoing teacher shortage. The post Education Committee Chairs Talk School Discipline, Teacher Staffing appeared first on...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sits down with our host this week Curtis Tate to discuss a conversation he had with House Judiciary Chair Del. JB Akers, R-Kanawha, and Minority Chair of House Health Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, about the vaccine exemption bill that passed the Senate and is now before the House Health and Human Resources Committee. The post Dru...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, in the Senate Friday, lawmakers approved a bill that would allow for broad vaccine exemptions. Also, in our weekly roundtable, reporters discuss the biggest news of the week. The post Senate Approves Vaccine Exemptions And Reporter Roundtable Talks Education, Health appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay. They discuss a number of issues including education, flooding in southern West Virginia and the crisis in foster care in the state. The post House Speaker Hanshaw Shares Goals For Education, PEIA And Foster Care appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Health Reporter Emily Rice speaks with Jim Kauffman, president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association, and Jessica Dobrinsky, chief of staff and certificate of need policy expert at the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, about changes lawmakers are proposing to state code this session. The post Health Stakeholders Discuss Proposed Chan...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with West Virginia Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston. Smith was elected to be the Senate President for the 87th legislature that started this year. The post Senate President Smith Weighs In On Legislative Goals appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Speaker Pro Tempore and Deputy Speaker of the House Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell. They discuss plans for legislation, the new process of debating bills in the House and legislation implementing religious exemptions from vaccines. Rohrbach is also a doctor. The post Deputy Speaker Of The House Talks Floor Debate Cha...

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we have a roundtable with our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate, Health Reporter Emily Rice and Statehouse Reporter Briana Heaney. They discuss the first days of the 2025 state legislative session and look ahead to the remaining weeks. The post Reporter Roundtable Recaps First Week Of 2025 Session And Looks Ahead appeared first on West Virgini...