CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates gaveled in for the second regular session of the 87th Legislature Wednesday, Jan. 14, eager to put in motion many of their proposals constructed in the months since the first regular session adjourned.
For one committee, there was no time to waste.
“Mister Speaker, your Committee on Education is ready to go to work,” said Committee Vice Chairman Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, during Wednesday announcements. “We will meet today at 2 p.m. in the House Chamber for an analysis of the West Virginia School Aid Formula.”
The House Finance Committee broke from its traditional early session spate of scheduled state agency budget hearings for a hearing on House Bill 4007, Relating to industrial access roads, at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
“Industrial access roads are important to economic development, period,” said Delegate David McCormick, lead sponsor of HB4007. “This program is part of the West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program initially started in 1999, and a county or municipality could request up to $400,000 for industrial access road construction.
“What this bill does is doubles that to $800,000 to make up for inflation and increased costs since that time, and it can be used just for construction of the road by the Department of Highways who administers this program.”
House Bill 4008, also relating to the Business Ready Sites Program, advanced through the House Energy and Public Works Committee Thursday as well. The measure would expand the current grants to include 5-acres sites for grants of as much as $75,000 in assistance, 20-acre sites for as much as $100,000 and sites of more than 20 acres may be eligible for as much as $250,000.
“I think this is going to give the Division of Economic Development more flexibility and more tools in their chest to get sites ready and foster in more businesses and create more jobs,” said Delegate Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, the lead sponsor of the bill.
The newest member of the House, Delegate John Jordan, R-Beckley, took the oath of office Jan. 13 just a few hours after being appointed to fill the unexpired term representing the 42nd District, which is a portion of Raleigh County. Jordan, who serves as Lead Pastor of Calvary Assembly of God, was joined by his wife Stephanie for the swearing-in ceremony as House Clerk Jeff Pack administered the oath.
The last day to introduce bills is Feb. 17, and 483 bills have been introduced in the House. The 60-day, regular legislative session ends at midnight March 14.
