Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 817: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Homeland Security, fund 0570

SB 817 adds $1,000,000 in supplemental funding to West Virginia’s Northern Regional Juvenile Center (part of the Bureau of Juvenile Services under the Department of Homeland Security) for fiscal year 2026. The funds come from an unappropriated surplus balance in the State Fund, General Revenue, as identified in the Governor’s 2026 budget submission. This allocation specifically supports the existing operations of the Northern Regional Juvenile Center without creating new programs or altering service requirements. The bill does not change eligibility, funding formulas, or policy standards - it simply reallocates unused state funds to a designated facility.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $1M from surplus to fund juvenile center operations, supporting public service budget allocation without new taxes or cuts.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 819: Supplemental appropriation to Department Health Facilities, fund 0413

SB 819 redirects $4,906,630 from an unappropriated surplus balance in West Virginia's General Revenue Fund to William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital (fund 0413) for fiscal year 2026. The bill supplements the hospital's existing appropriation by adding a new line item for "Current Expenses - Surplus" to cover operational costs. This procedural budget adjustment directly affects the hospital's funding for the 2026 fiscal year without changing health care policies or creating new obligations. The funds were identified in the Governor's Executive Budget Document as available surplus.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects $4.9M surplus to hospital operations, increasing public service funding via budget reallocation without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill redirects $4.9M surplus to fund William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital operations, increasing direct healthcare funding without policy changes.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 841: Supplemental Appropriation to State Board of Education, fund 3951

SB 841 adds $30,498 to the State Board of Education's fund 3951 for the Hope Scholarship Program, using an unappropriated surplus from lottery net profits. This supplemental appropriation allocates existing lottery revenue - specifically from the surplus balance not included in the initial budget - to fund the Hope Scholarship Program during fiscal year 2026. The bill does not change the program's eligibility or structure but provides additional funding for student scholarships. The funds are designated for expenditure before June 30, 2026, as part of the state's budget process.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates existing lottery surplus to fund Hope Scholarship Program, increasing public education funding without new taxes or program changes.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds $30,498 to Hope Scholarship Program via lottery surplus, increasing funding for student scholarships without altering eligibility, directly supporting educational access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 871: Supplemental appropriation to State Board of Education, fund 3517

SB 871 allocates $12.66 million from West Virginia's Excess Lottery Fund to the Hope Scholarship Program for fiscal year 2026. This supplemental appropriation adds a new funding line (Fund 3517) to the State Board of Education's budget, directing unappropriated lottery surplus funds toward scholarship payments. The bill does not change program eligibility, rules, or structure - it only provides additional funding for existing scholarship disbursements. It is a procedural budget adjustment, not a new policy.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $12.66M from lottery surplus to existing scholarship program, funding essential education services without changing rules or taxes, aligning with fiscal responsibility and program funding indicators.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $12.66M from lottery funds to Hope Scholarship Program, increasing funding for educational access without altering program structure.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 749: Relating to county economic opportunity development districts

SB 749 authorizes four West Virginia counties - Ohio, Harrison, Monongalia, and Jefferson - to levy a special sales tax on businesses within designated economic development districts. The bill specifically approves taxes for the Fort Henry District (500 acres in Ohio County), Charles Pointe District (437 acres in Harrison County), University Town Centre District (1,450 acres in Monongalia County), and a Jefferson County district (unspecified acreage). Each district’s tax authority expires in 2053 or 2054, unless terminated earlier under existing law. The bill ensures these taxes won’t reduce state general revenue by requiring individual legislative approval for each district’s tax authorization. This directly affects businesses operating within these defined areas, with tax revenue funding local economic development initiatives.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes new county-level sales tax for economic development districts, increasing tax authority to fund local economic initiatives and fiscal management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 1053: Authorizing Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund to modernize and enhance WorkForce West Virginia

SB 1053 creates a new "Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund" to modernize West Virginia's unemployment system. It requires employers to pay 7% of their quarterly unemployment tax contributions into this fund, with limits: deposits stop if the fund reaches $18 million in a year or if the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund falls below $300 million. The fund will cover costs for upgrading the unemployment claims system, improving the job search platform, administrative expenses, and workforce development initiatives. This directly affects employers who pay unemployment taxes in West Virginia, redirecting a portion of their payments toward system improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates 7% of unemployment tax to fund system modernization, creating dedicated tax revenue for essential program upgrades.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates fund to modernize unemployment system, improving claims processing and job search tools, directly supporting unemployed workers' access to benefits.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill creates fund specifically for modernizing unemployment system tech, including upgrading claims platform and job search tools, directly advancing technology infrastructure for government services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 243: Establishing disaster repair and recovery effort tax credit for taxpayers subject to severance and business privilege tax in certain circumstances

SB 243 creates a tax credit for businesses in West Virginia that pay severance and business privilege taxes. The credit equals 25% of qualifying expenses businesses incur repairing public property and infrastructure after disasters like hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes. Qualifying expenses include labor, materials, and equipment used for debris removal, site preparation, and rebuilding public structures. Unused credits can be carried forward to future tax years, but the credit excludes costs exceeding fair market value for similar goods or services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 25% tax credit for businesses paying severance/business taxes on disaster repair costs, providing direct tax relief per taxation policy indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 392: Relating to personal income tax reduction

SB 392 reduces West Virginia's personal income tax rates for taxpayers starting January 1, 2026, with automatic future reductions tied to state revenue growth. The bill requires the Secretary of Revenue to calculate annual tax rate cuts when state revenue exceeds inflation-adjusted 2019 levels (base year: $4.29 billion), applying the reduction equally across all tax brackets. These reductions cannot exceed a 10% cut in existing rates and will be certified annually after August 15 each year. The bill also lowers withholding rates on nonresident real estate sales, lottery winnings, and certain composite returns. This legislation directly affects all West Virginia income tax filers and nonresidents earning income within the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reduces personal income tax rates across all brackets with revenue-linked automatic cuts, providing tax relief and promoting fiscal responsibility through structured tax reduction.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 502: Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act

SB 502 establishes permanent endowments to protect women’s collegiate Olympic sports programs at West Virginia’s public NCAA Division I universities. It requires that only endowment earnings - not principal - fund scholarships, coaching, equipment, and facilities for these programs. The bill creates tax credits (50% of donations) for private contributions and matching funds for institutions that document verified operational savings (e.g., energy efficiency, shared services), while prohibiting cuts to academic programs or Title IX compliance. All endowments must undergo annual audits, and institutions must report on cost savings, donations, and Title IX adherence to the state education commission.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates 50% tax credits for donations to fund women's sports programs, directly providing tax relief to incentivize private contributions toward program funding.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates permanent endowments and tax credits to fund/protect women's collegiate sports programs at public universities, directly strengthening higher education athletic funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 104: Providing certain state mine inspectors with raise

This bill provides a $5,000 salary increase to state mine inspectors, including electrical, underground, and surface mine inspectors, effective upon enactment. It directly affects these specific inspectors by adding a fixed monetary amount to their base salaries without altering their duties or qualifications. The provision applies uniformly to all inspectors covered under the relevant chapter of the state code.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state spending on mine inspectors' salaries, directly funding state personnel costs within government spending framework.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill directly increases wages for state mine inspectors, advancing employment compensation within Labor & Employment framework.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes