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GOVERNOR TOMBLIN Provides State OF THE State Handle
Tackle highlights prime priorities and essential items of legislation
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (January 13, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin right now delivered the 2016 State of the Condition Deal with in the House Chamber at the Point out Capitol Complex.
Gov. Tomblin’s remarks integrated an overview of new plans and initiatives associated to his best priorities as governor, as nicely as a number of new pieces of legislation he programs to introduce during the 2016 Legislative Session.
Given that turning out to be governor in November 2010, Gov. Tomblin has focused on concerns this sort of as workforce improvement, combatting material abuse, dependable fiscal guidelines and occupation generation. Pursuing are highlights from the Condition of the Condition speech and other legislative initiatives of Gov. Tomblin.
Economic Development
Gov. Tomblin has worked to generate a optimistic business local climate now and for decades to occur, and he remains committed to functioning with enterprise and market leaders from a variety of industries to develop new investments and provide employment to West Virginia. Companies from across the nation and around the globe are noticing the adjustments the condition has created, and nationally and internationally acknowledged organizations – which includes Macy’s Amazon, Quad Graphics, Hino Motors, Diamond Electrical, Toyota and Procter and Gamble – have selected to locate, broaden and spend in West Virginia.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin extra yet another organization to the checklist of individuals that have dedicated to West Virginia. During the deal with, Gov. Tomblin announced polymer additive company Addivant has decided to stay and expand operations in Morgantown, saving practically one hundred positions and incorporating at the very least $twelve million in new investments and added chances for employment.
Although these huge investments are a vital component of West Virginia’s extended-expression success, Gov. Tomblin is also fully commited to ensuring small enterprise proprietors have a likelihood to excel and develop. Tonight, Gov. Tomblin introduced the Self-Employment Support Act, developed to make it less complicated for unemployed West Virginians to get the assist they need to have to open up a organization. The act permits entrepreneurs to keep on obtaining unemployment benefits while establishing their new business. This aids owners reinvest in their new venture and workers, although also offering a regular source of monetary assistance for their people.
WORKFORCE Development
In operating to bring new investments and develop jobs, Gov. Tomblin has also manufactured it a leading priority to guarantee these employment are stuffed by expert and well-trained West Virginians. With the aid of his Workforce Planning Council, Gov. Tomblin has recognized new workforce improvement applications and strengthened existing initiatives to fulfill the wants of company and sector working here. The point out has received more than $40 million in federal grant funding to help Workforce West Virginia operations across the condition, aiding coal miners, their families, and these who have fatigued their unemployment rewards uncover careers in expanding industries.
Via a collaborative partnership amid company, sector, education and learning and labor leaders, Gov. Tomblin has established a new Regional Work Matching Database, an on the internet source for the two academic program listings and work chances accessible close to people’s properties. This databases will aid match pupils with instruction applications in crucial wants areas and hook up them with businesses in search of people same capabilities.
In addition, Gov. Tomblin also ideas to introduce legislation that will expand the West Virginia Department of Well being and Human Resources’ (WVDHHR) Short term Help to Want Family members (TANF) pilot software. By way of a partnership with the WVDHHR and Southern West Virginia Local community and Complex College, the pilot software was designed to help West Virginians previously getting TANF positive aspects enroll in college courses, get obtain to financial aid and work with advisors to start a new career path to assist themselves and their people. With this software expansion, much more West Virginians will acquire the support and assistance they need to have to turn into productive, effective members of their nearby communities.
STRENGTHENING SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
Gov. Tomblin has focused a lot of his community provider to supporting West Virginia’s coal miners and their family members. In current many years, both the condition and country have experienced unprecedented downturns in this industry, adversely affecting regional functions and devastating the lives of a lot of hardworking West Virginians.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin highlighted ongoing initiatives to assist and improve all individuals impacted by the downturn in the coal industry. The state has submitted an application to the National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC), in search of a lot more than $140 million in funding from the United States Section of Housing and Urban Advancement. This competitiveness has the likely to aid Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties modify, adapt and advance their communities. If profitable, funding will be allocated to support repair and rebuild getting older infrastructure, market land use preparing and hazard reduction efforts and encourage housing and financial improvement in the location.
Gov. Tomblin tonight also introduced ideas to build of the largest industrial web site in West Virginia background – the previous Hobet floor mine in Boone and Lincoln counties. At twelve,000 acres, this home is huge adequate to fit every single key financial advancement undertaking in recent historical past – with thousands of acres left above. The point out is operating in partnership with neighborhood landowners, Marshall College, West Virginia University and the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund to find approaches to re-create this website and diversify southern West Virginia’s economy.
Power
In operating to ensure West Virginia’s strength sector is sturdy and diverse, Gov. Tomblin has also worked challenging to support improvement of West Virginia’s abundant Marcellus, Utica and Rogersville shale formations. Tonight, Gov. Tomblin stressed the need to generate the processing and pipeline infrastructure necessary to make sure this industry’s ongoing growth now and for many years to occur, highlighting significant investment decision assignments such as the Columbia Gasoline Mountaineer Xpress pipeline.
Gov. Tomblin also introduced that although the Department of Environmental Protection carries on to perform on a feasibility examine connected to the state’s Clean Energy Strategy Submission, it truly is most likely that program will incorporate products this sort of as reforestation and substitute of boilers to enhance the efficiency of existing coal-fired energy strategies.
TACKLING Substance ABUSE
Gov. Tomblin has produced combatting the state’s substance abuse epidemic a top priority of his administration. As communities and families across West Virginia continue to fight substance abuse from a variety of fronts, Gov. Tomblin has invested a considerable sum of time and funding to improve local community-dependent treatment method choices and programs to give individuals struggling hope and get them on the highway to restoration.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin introduced laws to assistance ongoing substance abuse efforts. He introduced new licensing requirements for Suboxone and Methadone clinics, necessitating medication-assisted therapy amenities to offer thorough therapies in coordination with treatment to support to deal with the root causes guiding addictions, relatively than merely supplying a limited-time period resolve.
In addition, Gov. Tomblin released legislation to broaden the Opioid Antagonist Act of 2015, generating opioid antagonists, this kind of as Narcan, obtainable to any West Virginian without having a prescription. This new legislation requires pharmacists to practice people who get this drug on how to administer opioid antagonists and helps the state observe people acquiring Narcan to help much better target state methods in locations hardest strike by opioid overdoses.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
Gov. Tomblin’s juvenile justice reforms have also manufactured a significant affect on our state’s youth, as he has worked to enhance results for individuals at the moment in the juvenile justice program and give early-intervention care to at-danger students to keep them in the classroom and out of the courtroom. Throughout his handle, Gov. Tomblin touted the success of 2015’s Juvenile Justice Reform, particularly highlighting constructive outcomes of the truancy diversion system.
He also declared the Division of Juvenile Providers has decreased the amount of little ones currently being sent to out-of-home placements by more than one-3rd and lowered the amount of detention beds by far more than forty p.c. So significantly the state has saved $6 million, and the Division of Juvenile Companies is confident West Virginia can double that savings in coming many years.
Training
Making sure pupils continue being in the classroom for one hundred eighty days of learning is just 1 of Gov. Tomblin’s training priorities, as he is similarly dedicated to making sure West Virginia’s education and learning technique stands completely ready to provide students with the thorough and effective education they deserve. In addition, they should get new learning options that supply the capabilities and hands-on knowledge they want obtain long-phrase success in West Virginia.
To boost on West Virginia’s instructional offerings, Gov. Tomblin has created the Innovation in Education Grant Software, which will not only provide pupils with specific skills and arms-on education, but will also give them the opportunity to contend amid their friends on a national and world-wide scale. This new software is designed to reward teachers and schools in West Virginia for innovation and creativity in the classroom. The reallocation of $two.8 million in existing West Virginia Office of Education income will assistance new classroom choices that are developed to support students produce and acquire these expertise in high-need fields, this kind of as science, engineering, engineering, math and entrepreneurship.
FISCAL Obligation
During his administration, Gov. Tomblin has manufactured sure to enact and uphold fiscally accountable guidelines. He understands the condition is encountering significant budget problems, but remains committed to making challenging selections now that will help make certain West Virginia has a bright foreseeable future now and for years to come.
Gov. Tomblin tonight launched laws to shell out off West Virginia’s outdated workers’ payment financial debt much more than a decade in advance of plan. This also will take away additional severance taxes on coal and natural gasoline industries previously than anticipated, supplying a lot-needed aid for energy firms battling with low prices.
In assisting to make sure West Virginia’s tax base is each stable and diverse, Gov. Tomblin tonight also proposed boosting the state’s tobacco tax by 45 cents to a overall of $one a pack. This increase will not only help discourage West Virginians from using tobacco or using tobacco items, it will also provide $71.five million yearly to support well being-connected expenses. $43 million of this revenue will support fund PEIA, making sure public workers do not see the spectacular gain reductions at first proposed.
Gov. Tomblin also proposed legislation to eradicate a sale tax exemption that will bring our state’s telecommunications tax in line with 41 other states across the place. This laws will area the same six p.c income tax on mobile telephone and cellphone line use and make $sixty million annually.
With these proposed alterations, the 2017 spending budget Gov. Tomblin offered makes use of no cash from the state’s Wet Working day Fund and in fact predicts surpluses beginning in 2019.
Gov. Tomblin will also introduce the subsequent parts of laws:
Workforce Innovation & Prospect Act (WIOA) Reporting Update
Updates recent West Virginia code to reflect 2014 federal law for compliance and continuation of federal funding from the U.S. Section of Labor.
Authorizes information sharing by Workforce West Virginia with the state companies dependable for vocational rehabilitation, work and coaching to greater align the workforce method with education and economic development in an energy to produce a collective reaction to financial and labor marketplace difficulties on the countrywide, point out and nearby amounts.
West Virginia Workforce Advancement Board Updates
Updates the composition of the West Virginia Workforce Investment decision Council and adjustments its identify to the West Virginia Workforce Development Board to comply with WIOA.
Borrowing from Wet Working day for Unemployment Payment Fund
Authorizes borrowing in volume up to $twenty five million to supply extra resources for unemployment payment.
Controlled Substances Checking System (CSMP) Update Monthly bill:
Requires practitioners (medical professionals, pharmacists and others) to sign-up for the CSMP to receive or renew a license.
Creates an administrative good of $1,000 for failure to sign-up for the CSMP, as properly as an administrative fine of $five hundred for failure to access the CSMP as essential.
Certificate of Need to have Exemption for Out-Affected person Behavioral Wellness Group-Dependent Companies
Exempts neighborhood-dependent behavioral wellness care services, packages or companies from the certification of require procedure contained in W.Va. Code 16-2nd-1 et seq.
811 – A single Contact Method
Helps make underground pipelines of four" in diameter and better subject matter to "call just before you dig" reporting if not otherwise needed by point out or federal law. Applies to gasoline, oil or any dangerous substance pipelines.
Membership in 811 requires an entity to provide mapping data indicating where their underground pipelines are located and to reply within the specified time durations when notified by the 811 administrator and be capable to mark its underground pipes.
fifteen Minutes Rule
Needs that drilling, generation and pipeline activities are subject to the state’s 15-moment emergency notification law (WV Code fifteen-5B-3a (b)(one)).
Provisions utilize to unexpected emergency events that include a death or severe injuries, unplanned ignitions, fires or explosions and similar significant emergency activities (verified emergencies) at drilling, manufacturing and pipeline web sites.
Notification should be offered in 15 minutes to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Stability and Unexpected emergency Management and contain preliminary info relating to the mother nature and extent of the emergency celebration, any existence or non-existence of threats to public overall health, substances associated or released and specified principal get in touch with details.
Transportation Network Firm Bill (TNC) – Uber/Lyft
Authorizes TNCs to run in West Virginia by acquiring a allow from DMV.
Demands automobile insurance policies and uninsured and underinsured motorist protection.
Demands a zero tolerance for drug and alcohol plan.
Needs TNCs to have a nondiscrimination policy and comply with nondiscrimination rules.
Place of work of Coalfield Community Growth Monthly bill
Proceeds the Workplace of Coalfield Group Advancement in Commerce (beforehand in Division of Energy)
Air Ambulance Monthly bill
Gives air transportation or connected unexpected emergency or treatment method services suppliers operating in West Virginia from collecting much more for services from PEIA lined persons than the currently allowable Medicare reimbursement fee.
Repeal Behavioral Wellness Severance & Privilege Tax
Eliminates the behavioral health severance and privilege tax and limitations the product sales tax exemption on resilient medical items to individuals acquired for residence use only.
The alter is thought to be earnings neutral and will support make sure ongoing federal matching funds for Medicaid and Medicare.
Decrease Necessary Yearly Severance Tax Deposit to Infrastructure Bond Fund
Decreases the sum of severance tax proceeds deposited into the West Virginia Infrastructure Standard Obligation Debt Provider Fund for payment of financial debt provider on this kind of bonds from $22.5 million annually to an volume equal to annual credit card debt service, not to exceed $22.twenty five million yearly.
Personal Income Tax update
Updates the Individual Cash flow Tax code to be in compliance with federal tax laws
CNIT Update & Revised Submitting Date
Updates the Corporate Web Income Tax code to be in compliance with federal tax laws.
Intermodal
Terminates funding of the Specific Railroad and Intermodal Enhancement Fund commencing January 1, 2016. The resource of funding is corporate web earnings taxes.
Racetrack and Historic Hotel Modernization Money Cessation
Ends the Accredited Racetrack Modernization Fund and Historic Hotel Modernization Fund and moves all resources at present in this sort of money to the Basic Revenue Fund.
Cessation of Deposit into Highway Fund from Income Tax for FY2016
Removes for fiscal yr 2016 the deposit of sales tax proceeds into the State Road Fund from revenue of development and routine maintenance supplies obtained by a second get together for use in the building or upkeep of a highway venture.
These kinds of sales tax proceeds will be deposited into the Standard Earnings Fund in lieu of the Point out Road Fund.
State Assist Formulation Changes
Gets rid of the Growth County University Amenities Act, which authorized progress county boards of education to designate common fund revenues from new building (escalating home taxes) for placement in a expansion county school amenities act fund.
Adjusts the formulation for the basis allowance for the two expert educators and service staff.
Adjusts and gets rid of specific changes to the basis allowance for transportation costs (rising bus life from 12 to fifteen many years and mileage from one hundred eighty,000 to 225,000 miles).
Adjusts the calculation for the foundation allowance to improve tutorial applications.
Gets rid of particular limitations in the computation of the regional share relevant to growth county faculties.
Infrastructure Fund Excessive Lottery Deposit Reduction
Decreases the annual deposit of Excess Lottery revenues to the Infrastructure Fund from $40 million to $thirty million for fiscal yr 2017.
Increases the share of cash that could be disbursed from the Infrastructure Fund in the kind of grants from twenty% to 50% for fiscal yr 2017.
SBA Deposit Reduction
Decreases for fiscal year 2017 the yearly deposit of sales tax proceeds into the School Building Authority’s University Significant Enhancement Fund from $5 million to $4 million (was lowered for FY16 to $three million).
Decreases for fiscal year 2017 the Faculty Constructing Authority’s University Development Fund from $27,216,996 to $24,216,996 (was diminished for FY16 to $21,216,996).
Pictures available for media use. All images must be attributed “Photo courtesy of Place of work of the Governor.”
By Governor Earl Ray Tomblin on 2016-01-13 19:19:05