Podcast - The Legislature Today Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

It’s been a little over a week since Delegates approved a bill creating the West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Known as RFRA, the bill creates a judicial standard for cases where a person’s religious freedoms are infringed upon by a government entity. The bill has been assigned to a Senate committee, but has yet to make its way onto an agenda. Still, that hasn’t stopped members of the upper chamber from voicing their thoughts about the bill on floor this week.

The Senate Finance Committee has approved a bill to increase the tobacco tax on cigarettes by $1 a pack. West Virginia University Health Sciences Executive Dean Dr. Clary Marsh says the increase will be enough to discourage West Virginia smokers and will likely increase the health outcomes for vulnerable populations like pregnant women and children. Dr. Marsh discusses the tobacco tax, as well as what WVU is doing to combat substance abuse in West Virginia.

Two southern West Virginia Senators discuss the economic impact the decline in the state's coal industry is having not just on the overall state budget, but the county level budgets as well which have led to cuts in programs and services as well as school layoffs. Sen. Bill Laird of Fayette County and Sen. Ron Stollings of Boone County join us.

Ted Boettner with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy discusses the group's latest report detailing Governor Tomblin's 2017 budget proposal. Boettner explains previous tax cuts alongside the declining severance tax collections have hurt the state budget for years in a row. He also focuses in on the importance of funding higher education.

The West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act's approval in the House of Delegates caused a firestorm on social media as many businesses spoke in opposition, but groups backing the bill say its important to West Virginia. Jill Rice with Opportunity West Virginia and Allen Whitt with the Family Policy Council of West Virginia debate the bill that's now being considered in the Senate.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey discusses the latest in his case challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay in the case this week which essentially freezes the implementation of the carbon reducing rules.

In the second year of Republican control of the statehouse, lawmakers have voted both a second and third times to override Tomblin vetoes. A simple majority in both chambers voted Friday to make the prevailing wage repeal and Right-to-Work bills law.

Between a repeal of the Common Core based education standards, a cut in the school aid formula and teacher layoffs, it’s a busy time in education in West Virginia. State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Martirano address all three issues in a special extended interview.