Rotunda Roundup
West Virginia’s 2026 Regular Session is entering “crunch time,” with the Senate bill-introduction deadline landing today. The Senate met in a Saturday floor session reflecting continued action on rules bundles, election administration, and a run of Senate measures that moved on third reading. On deck for today, the House calendar is set for third-reading action on measures including small business growth and DOH equipment lighting, while the Senate calendar tees up third readings including a voter eligibility/residency measure and a PSC-related bill on second reading.
Legislature
The West Virginia Senate held its first Saturday floor session of 2026 and advanced major K–12 calendar flexibility and an emergency Hancock County Schools bailout. Senators passed SB 890 (23–5) to shift from 180 days to 900 instructional hours (and redefine staff term as 1,600 hours) and passed HB 4575 (27–1) as an $8 million “Financial Stability Loan Program” bridge for a district facing a ~$3.1 million shortfall.
Source: WV News
Why it Matters: It pairs statewide school-calendar policy change with a precedent-setting state “loan” intervention to prevent payroll collapse in a financially distressed county system.
Budget writers are using the Hope Scholarship as leverage in negotiations over Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s proposed 10% personal income tax cut. The column notes Morrisey’s FY2027 budget proposal is $5.493B with $230.1M for Hope, while the Senate passed a $5.381B budget and the House is floating a Hope restructure (flat $5,250, paid quarterly).
Source: WV News
Why it Matters: The budget-and-tax package is colliding with the state’s most expensive school-choice program, forcing tradeoffs that will shape FY2027 finances and education policy statewide.
The West Virginia Senate passed its FY2027 general revenue budget (SB 250) at $5.381B and sent it to the House.The plan is 2% below Gov. Morrisey’s $5.493B proposal, trims Hope Scholarship funding to $300M (from $338M), and shifts Medicaid to $260M+ in general revenue (vs. ~$140M in the governor’s plan) while also advancing a separate ~10% income tax cut bill (SB 392) retroactive to Jan. 1.
Source: Lootpress
Why it Matters: This is the opening negotiating position on the two biggest levers—tax cuts and Medicaid/education spending—setting the parameters for the final budget deal.
West Virginia Government & Agencies
The West Virginia Lottery rolled out a new draw game with a top prize framed as “$1 million a year for life.”MetroNews reported an annuity option with a guaranteed 20-year payout (and a cash option), plus a second prize tier described as $100,000 for life.
Source: WV MetroNews
Why it Matters: Lottery product changes can move revenue expectations and retailer traffic—relevant for budget writers and any earmarked program funding streams.
Health Care
WVU Hospitals East will require adult visitors to check in and wear visible photo badges at Berkeley Medical Center and Jefferson Medical Center starting Monday, February 23, 2026. Visitors 18+ must present photo ID to receive a one-day badge (photo/name/destination), re-register each day, and the process is expected to take about three minutes.
Source: WV MetroNews
Why it Matters: This tightens access control and improves emergency accountability at two key Eastern Panhandle hospitals amid rising national concerns about violence and security in healthcare settings.
Education
WVU’s Board of Governors previewed major academic leadership changes, including incoming Provost Beverly Wendland starting July 1, 2026. The board also extended the Law dean search (interim Susan Brewer through Dec. 31, 2026), noted Eberly Arts & Sciences Dean Gregory Dunaway departing June 30, 2026, and said the Libraries/Press dean selection is expected within “the next couple of weeks.”
Source: WV MetroNews
Why it Matters: WVU’s provost/dean pipeline and AAU “moonshot” priorities will drive staffing, research capacity, and strategic direction at one of the state’s biggest public institutions.
The West Virginia Senate passed S.B. 890 to convert public school calendar requirements from days to instructional hours. The bill shifts the minimum from 180 days to 900 hours, passed 23–5 on February 21, 2026, and would take effect July 1, 2027.
Source: WV MetroNews
Why it Matters: This could materially reshape county calendars and instructional time, with knock-on effects for staffing, retirement qualifications, and working families’ childcare logistics.
Federal Watch
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked key Trump tariffs, ruling the administration overstepped its authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In a 6–3 decision, the Court struck “reciprocal” tariffs (up to 34% on China, 10% baseline elsewhere) and a 25% tariff tied to fentanyl pressure on Canada/China/Mexico; the ruling leaves separate steel/aluminum tariffs intact.
Source: Lootpress
Why it Matters: It constrains emergency-based tariff authority, reshaping trade policy tools and supply-chain pricing risk for manufacturers, importers, and consumers.
Business & Industry
The West Virginia Senate passed SB 878 to create an Office of Entrepreneurship within the Secretary of State’s office to help guide new business formation. The office would serve as a centralized liaison/referral hub (without duplicating DED or the SBDC), and the Senate also passed HB 4575 providing $8 million to stabilize Hancock County Schools payroll.
Source: Lootpress
Why it Matters: It’s a statewide “front door” for startups that could reduce friction for small businesses while signaling continued legislative focus on economic development execution.
The Grid (Energy/Utilities/Regulatory)
A Lootpress op-ed by Mark Polen argues West Virginia must modernize its electric grid to protect jobs and keep businesses competitive. It says much of the transmission system is 50+ years old, over half of lines are nearing end-of-life, and cites $40B+ in nationwide severe-weather damage and $3–$4B Texas grid-hardening investments after the 2021 winter storm as cautionary comparisons.
Source: Lootpress
Why it Matters: Grid reliability is an economic development prerequisite—outages translate directly into lost production, lost hours, higher costs, and weaker competitiveness for WV employers.
Legislative Info Desk — Official Daybook (Committee Schedule + Floor)
It’s the 41st Day of the Session, 19 to go… Last day to intro’d bills in the Senate
Today on the House side:
Committee on Finance
9:00 a.m. – Finance Committee Room 460M
Committee on Judiciary
9:00 a.m. – Judiciary Committee Room 410M
Committee on Rules
10:45 a.m. – Speakers Conference Room 218M
11:00 a.m. – the House will convene in the Chamber
House Calendar (inactive)
House Special Calendar (active)
Committee on Government Organization
1:00 p.m. – East Wing Committee Room 215E
Committee on Health and Human Resources
3:30 p.m. – East Wing Committee Room 215E
Committee on Education
1:00 p.m. – Education Committee Room 434M
Committee on Energy and Public Works
3:00 p.m. – Judiciary Committee Room 410M
…and on the Senate side
9 a.m.: Judiciary (208W)
Listening Session regarding CPS and Child Welfare Issues
11:00 a.m. Senate will convene in the Chamber
1 p.m.: Transportation and Infrastructure (451M)
- Com Sub. for SB 691: Relating to utility lines on DOH rights-of-way.
- SB 1059: Relating to agreements between solid waste motor carriers and commercial customers
- Com. Sub. for SB 979: Requiring Division of Highways publish project bids on its website
- Com. Sub. for SB 982: Creating Neighborhood Access Road Program
1 p.m.: Workforce (208W)
- Originating SCR 1: Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Service Commission
- SB 1038: Adjusting salaries for administrative law judges employed in WorkForce WV Board of Review
- SB 1053: Authorizing Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund to modernize and enhance WorkForce West Virginia
- Presentations
o Rebecca J Gillam, MSW, PhD, Portfolio Director, Home- and Community-based Services, West Virginia University Health Affairs Institute – Direct Care Workforce Pilot: Results and Opportunities
o Jeff Green, Deputy Executive Director, Workforce WV
o Vanessa Smith, The Store House – Health to Prosperity Transitional Housing and Workforce Pipeline
2 p.m.: Pensions (451M)
- Com. Sub. for SB 997: Allowing certain hospital staff members to begin withdrawing from retirement benefits in certain circumstances
- Com. Sub. for SB 977: Creating benefit for duty-related partial disability
- Com. Sub. for SB 978: Authorizing certain municipalities to become members of Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System
- SB 1035: Suspending contribution of courts in judicial retirement system until certain conditions are met
- SB 676: Placing members of Division of Protective Services under state police retirement system
2 p.m.: Energy, Industry and Mining (208W)
- Subcommittee Report for HB 4026
- Eng. Com. Sub. for HB 4026: Relating to expanding the requirements for integrated resource plans utility companies must file with the Public Service Commission
- Com. Sub. for SB 23: Relating to taxation of wind power projects
- Com. Sub. for SB 420: West Virginia First Energy Ac
- Com. Sub. for SB 1042: Requiring minimum ventilation quantity of 3,000 cubic feet in underground mines
3 p.m.: Finance (451M)
- Com. Sub. for SB 617: Banking and Financial Services Provider Protections for Eligible Adults from Financial Exploitation
- Com. Sub. for SB 745: Relating to requirements for school nutrition programs
- SB 950: Relating to mileage and expenses of judges
- Com. Sub. for SB 580: Updating practice act for WV Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board
- Com. Sub. for SB 774: Allowing certain county EMS officers to participate in EMS Retirement System
3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)
- SB 986: Creating criminal penalties for child torture
- SB 197: Relating to crime of sexual abuse by parent, guardian, custodian, or person in position of trust to child
- SB 718: Increasing pay for magistrates
- SB 540: Relating to body-worn cameras for CPS workers
- SB 399: Creating Bring Them Home Fund
- Com. Sub. for HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance
- SB 1029: Providing parents plain-language statements of immediate rights and ongoing rights
Official schedule: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/committees/senate/senate_schedule.cfm
Committee times and agendas are subject to change |
