By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin‘s substance abuse bill passed one committee today on the West Virginia Senate side, but still has two more committees to go through.
The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee passed SB437, Tomblin’s proposal that would create a regulatory framework in place to monitor [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — If senators agree with changes to the legislation, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin can add finding funding for the state’s multi-billion dollar retiree health care debt to his list of successes since officially becoming Governor in November.
The West Virginia House of Delegates passed SB469, Gov. Tomblin’s proposal [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — This could be the year that West Virginia finally deals with its multi-billion dollar retiree health care debt.
A bill proposed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin during his State of the State address, SB 469, was introduced in the West Virginia Senate this morning and passed out [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — A bill that will make using a cell phone in a moving vehicle illegal, either by talking on it or texting, passed its first committee today.
SB 211 would make it a secondary offense to text or talk on a cell phone when driving. It would make [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — Once again, lawmakers want to require prescriptions for cold medicines containing a key ingredient in the making of illegal drugs. This time, they hope naming the bill after a deceased lawmaker will help it sail through.
Members of the House of Delegates and the state Senate held [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — Lawmakers are now looking over the fiscal year 2013 budget presented by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin at last night’s State of the State address.
The Finance committees for both the West Virginia House of Delegates and state Senate heard reports today from the State Budget Office and [...]

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog
CHARLESTON — Lawmakers convened their second general session of the 80th West Virginia Legislature at noon today, and will meet up this evening for the annual State of the State address.
The state Senate introduced 159 bills during their first floor session, and the House of Delegates introduced 671 [...]

By STEVEN ALLEN ADAMS
steven@westvirginiawatchdog.org
West Virginia’s annual budget increased by 2.8 percent, from $4.2 billion in FY2011 to $4.3 billion in FY2012. It’s a $119 million increase, all the while Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin wants a 1 cent decrease in the food tax and one-time salary enhancements for teachers and service personnel.
Member of the media [...]

By Steven Allen Adams
steven@westvirginiawatchdog.org
Normally he has a different view during the State of the State, but this time he was front and center with all eye on him.
Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin gave his first State of the State address to a packed House of Delegates chamber Wednesday night.
“West Virginia is poised for success,” said [...]