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GOVERNOR TOMBLIN Delivers Point out OF THE Point out Tackle
Tackle highlights top priorities and important parts of legislation
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (January 13, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin these days delivered the 2016 Point out of the Condition Deal with in the House Chamber at the Point out Capitol Sophisticated.
Gov. Tomblin’s remarks incorporated an overview of new plans and initiatives relevant to his top priorities as governor, as properly as a number of new parts of laws he programs to introduce for the duration of the 2016 Legislative Session.
Considering that turning into governor in November 2010, Gov. Tomblin has focused on problems this sort of as workforce advancement, combatting material abuse, dependable fiscal policies and task generation. Pursuing are highlights from the Point out of the Point out speech and other legislative initiatives of Gov. Tomblin.
Economic Advancement
Gov. Tomblin has labored to develop a positive organization local climate now and for a long time to come, and he remains committed to operating with business and business leaders from a variety of industries to create new investments and deliver jobs to West Virginia. Businesses from throughout the nation and close to the globe are noticing the modifications the state has produced, and nationally and internationally acknowledged companies – which includes Macy’s Amazon, Quad Graphics, Hino Motors, Diamond Electric, Toyota and Procter and Gamble – have decided on to find, broaden and invest in West Virginia.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin additional an additional business to the list of these that have committed to West Virginia. For the duration of the deal with, Gov. Tomblin introduced polymer additive producer Addivant has determined to stay and increase operations in Morgantown, saving nearly 100 work and adding at the very least $twelve million in new investments and extra possibilities for work.
While these massive investments are a crucial element of West Virginia’s prolonged-term good results, Gov. Tomblin is also committed to making certain modest business house owners have a likelihood to excel and grow. Tonight, Gov. Tomblin released the Self-Work Assistance Act, developed to make it less difficult for unemployed West Virginians to get the aid they require to open up a organization. The act makes it possible for business owners to proceed receiving unemployment rewards although developing their new business. This aids homeowners reinvest in their new enterprise and employees, while also delivering a constant source of fiscal assist for their people.
WORKFORCE Improvement
In functioning to carry new investments and create jobs, Gov. Tomblin has also created it a top precedence to ensure these employment are loaded by experienced and effectively-skilled West Virginians. With the help of his Workforce Planning Council, Gov. Tomblin has set up new workforce improvement applications and strengthened present initiatives to meet up with the needs of organization and market working here. The state has obtained more than $40 million in federal grant funding to help Workforce West Virginia operations throughout the state, supporting coal miners, their people, and individuals who have fatigued their unemployment benefits uncover occupations in increasing industries.
By means of a collaborative partnership amongst company, industry, education and labor leaders, Gov. Tomblin has recognized a new Regional Task Matching Databases, an on-line source for equally educational plan listings and employment opportunities accessible near to people’s residences. This database will assist match pupils with coaching applications in crucial wants places and connect them with businesses in search of individuals identical abilities.
In addition, Gov. Tomblin also ideas to introduce laws that will expand the West Virginia Department of Well being and Human Resources’ (WVDHHR) Temporary Assistance to Need Family members (TANF) pilot system. By way of a partnership with the WVDHHR and Southern West Virginia Group and Specialized School, the pilot system was created to help West Virginians currently getting TANF rewards enroll in higher education programs, get access to economic assist and work with advisors to start a new job route to assist by themselves and their households. With this program growth, far more West Virginians will obtain the assist and support they want to turn into productive, effective members of their local communities.
STRENGTHENING SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
Gov. Tomblin has devoted much of his general public services to supporting West Virginia’s coal miners and their people. In recent many years, equally the point out and nation have seasoned unparalleled downturns in this sector, adversely impacting regional operations and devastating the life of many hardworking West Virginians.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin highlighted ongoing initiatives to assistance and improve all individuals influenced by the downturn in the coal sector. The state has submitted an application to the Countrywide Disaster Resilience Opposition (NDRC), looking for more than $one hundred forty million in funding from the United States Office of Housing and Urban Growth. This competitors has the prospective to support Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties modify, adapt and advance their communities. If profitable, funding will be allocated to help repair and rebuild ageing infrastructure, market land use arranging and hazard reduction endeavours and encourage housing and financial advancement in the location.
Gov. Tomblin tonight also introduced programs to create of the premier industrial website in West Virginia heritage – the former Hobet surface area mine in Boone and Lincoln counties. At twelve,000 acres, this house is large sufficient to suit every significant financial growth task in latest history – with countless numbers of acres remaining over. The condition is operating in partnership with regional landowners, Marshall College, West Virginia University and the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund to uncover ways to re-produce this site and diversify southern West Virginia’s economic system.
Energy
In functioning to ensure West Virginia’s energy sector is robust and varied, Gov. Tomblin has also labored difficult to support development of West Virginia’s abundant Marcellus, Utica and Rogersville shale formations. Tonight, Gov. Tomblin stressed the need to have to produce the processing and pipeline infrastructure essential to make sure this industry’s ongoing development now and for several years to come, highlighting main expense tasks these kinds of as the Columbia Gasoline Mountaineer Xpress pipeline.
Gov. Tomblin also introduced that although the Division of Environmental Protection continues to perform on a feasibility review connected to the state’s Clear Electricity Prepare Submission, it’s probably that plan will consist of things these kinds of as reforestation and substitution of boilers to improve the performance of present coal-fired electricity programs.
TACKLING Substance ABUSE
Gov. Tomblin has produced combatting the state’s substance abuse epidemic a prime precedence of his administration. As communities and households across West Virginia keep on to struggle material abuse from a amount of fronts, Gov. Tomblin has invested a considerable quantity of time and funding to bolster group-dependent remedy options and packages to give people struggling hope and get them on the street to recovery.
Tonight, Gov. Tomblin introduced legislation to help ongoing compound abuse attempts. He declared new licensing requirements for Suboxone and Methadone clinics, requiring treatment-assisted therapy facilities to supply complete therapies in coordination with treatment to help to take care of the root leads to behind addictions, fairly than basically supplying a brief-expression repair.
In addition, Gov. Tomblin launched legislation to broaden the Opioid Antagonist Act of 2015, creating opioid antagonists, this sort of as Narcan, offered to any West Virginian with no a prescription. This new laws calls for pharmacists to practice these who receive this drug on how to administer opioid antagonists and helps the condition track individuals receiving Narcan to assist better emphasis point out assets in regions toughest hit by opioid overdoses.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
Gov. Tomblin’s juvenile justice reforms have also created a important effect on our state’s youth, as he has worked to enhance outcomes for individuals at the moment in the juvenile justice method and offer early-intervention care to at-threat learners to keep them in the classroom and out of the courtroom. During his address, Gov. Tomblin touted the achievement of 2015’s Juvenile Justice Reform, especially highlighting constructive outcomes of the truancy diversion program.
He also announced the Division of Juvenile Providers has reduced the variety of kids becoming sent to out-of-house placements by a lot more than one-third and decreased the variety of detention beds by much more than 40 per cent. So much the condition has saved $six million, and the Division of Juvenile Providers is self-assured West Virginia can double that savings in coming years.
Education and learning
Guaranteeing pupils remain in the classroom for one hundred eighty days of learning is just 1 of Gov. Tomblin’s education and learning priorities, as he is equally committed to ensuring West Virginia’s education method stands all set to provide college students with the extensive and efficient education and learning they deserve. In addition, they must get new finding out possibilities that source the abilities and fingers-on expertise they want obtain lengthy-time period accomplishment in West Virginia.
To improve upon West Virginia’s instructional choices, Gov. Tomblin has produced the Innovation in Education Grant Program, which will not only source pupils with special expertise and hands-on training, but will also give them the opportunity to compete between their peers on a countrywide and globe-broad scale. This new plan is made to reward teachers and faculties in West Virginia for innovation and creativity in the classroom. The reallocation of $two.8 million in present West Virginia Office of Education funds will assist new classroom offerings that are created to support students produce and acquire these capabilities in higher-desire fields, this sort of as science, technologies, engineering, math and entrepreneurship.
FISCAL Obligation
During his administration, Gov. Tomblin has manufactured sure to enact and uphold fiscally responsible policies. He understands the state is encountering significant funds problems, but stays dedicated to producing tough choices now that will aid ensure West Virginia has a vibrant foreseeable future now and for a long time to appear.
Gov. Tomblin tonight launched legislation to pay off West Virginia’s outdated workers’ payment debt a lot more than a 10 years forward of schedule. This also will get rid of extra severance taxes on coal and natural gasoline industries previously than anticipated, offering considerably-necessary relief for power companies having difficulties with lower prices.
In supporting to make sure West Virginia’s tax base is each secure and varied, Gov. Tomblin tonight also proposed increasing the state’s tobacco tax by forty five cents to a overall of $1 a pack. This enhance will not only help discourage West Virginians from using tobacco or employing tobacco products, it will also provide $seventy one.five million yearly to help well being-relevant fees. $43 million of this revenue will aid fund PEIA, guaranteeing general public personnel do not see the extraordinary reward reductions to begin with proposed.
Gov. Tomblin also proposed laws to get rid of a sale tax exemption that will provide our state’s telecommunications tax in line with forty one other states across the place. This legislation will spot the exact same 6 per cent product sales tax on cell phone and telephone line usage and create $sixty million every year.
With these proposed modifications, the 2017 spending budget Gov. Tomblin introduced utilizes no money from the state’s Wet Working day Fund and in simple fact predicts surpluses beginning in 2019.
Gov. Tomblin will also introduce the adhering to items of laws:
Workforce Innovation & Chance 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. Division of Labor.
Authorizes information sharing by Workforce West Virginia with the condition organizations dependable for vocational rehabilitation, employment and instruction to better align the workforce technique with schooling and economic growth in an effort to develop a collective reaction to economic and labor market difficulties on the national, state and neighborhood stages.
West Virginia Workforce Improvement Board Updates
Updates the composition of the West Virginia Workforce Expense Council and modifications its title to the West Virginia Workforce Growth Board to comply with WIOA.
Borrowing from Rainy Working day for Unemployment Payment Fund
Authorizes borrowing in amount up to $twenty five million to supply extra funds for unemployment compensation.
Controlled Substances Checking System (CSMP) Update Invoice:
Demands practitioners (physicians, pharmacists and other folks) to sign-up for the CSMP to acquire or renew a license.
Produces an administrative wonderful of $one,000 for failure to sign up for the CSMP, as well as an administrative fantastic of $500 for failure to access the CSMP as needed.
Certification of Require Exemption for Out-Individual Behavioral Overall health Group-Primarily based Services
Exempts community-based mostly behavioral overall health care services, packages or providers from the certification of need procedure contained in W.Va. Code sixteen-Second-1 et seq.
811 – One particular Call System
Can make underground pipelines of four" in diameter and increased subject matter to "call prior to you dig" reporting if not or else essential by point out or federal regulation. Applies to gasoline, oil or any dangerous material pipelines.
Membership in 811 needs an entity to give mapping information indicating the place their underground pipelines are located and to reply inside the specified time durations when notified by the 811 administrator and be able to mark its underground pipes.
15 Minutes Rule
Calls for that drilling, generation and pipeline actions are matter to the state’s fifteen-moment crisis notification regulation (WV Code 15-5B-3a (b)(1)).
Provisions implement to unexpected emergency occasions that require a demise or critical injuries, unplanned ignitions, fires or explosions and comparable serious crisis events (confirmed emergencies) at drilling, manufacturing and pipeline web sites.
Notification need to be supplied inside of 15 minutes to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Protection and Crisis Management and incorporate preliminary information concerning the mother nature and extent of the unexpected emergency occasion, any existence or non-existence of threats to general public well being, substances involved or launched and designated principal get in touch with details.
Transportation Community Organization Monthly bill (TNC) – Uber/Lyft
Authorizes TNCs to work in West Virginia by obtaining a allow from DMV.
Needs automobile insurance and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Requires a zero tolerance for drug and alcohol coverage.
Demands TNCs to have a nondiscrimination policy and comply with nondiscrimination rules.
Office of Coalfield Group Advancement Invoice
Carries on the Business office of Coalfield Neighborhood Improvement in Commerce (formerly in Division of Strength)
Air Ambulance Monthly bill
Offers air transportation or relevant unexpected emergency or remedy services suppliers functioning in West Virginia from gathering far more for provider from PEIA protected individuals than the at present allowable Medicare reimbursement charge.
Repeal Behavioral Wellness Severance & Privilege Tax
Gets rid of the behavioral wellness severance and privilege tax and limits the product sales tax exemption on sturdy health care items to these purchased for residence use only.
The alter is thought to be profits neutral and will help make certain ongoing federal matching funds for Medicaid and Medicare.
Minimize Essential Annual Severance Tax Deposit to Infrastructure Bond Fund
Lowers the sum of severance tax proceeds deposited into the West Virginia Infrastructure Common Obligation Credit card debt Support Fund for payment of personal debt service on this sort of bonds from $22.5 million annually to an volume equal to yearly personal debt provider, not to exceed $22.twenty five million each year.
Individual Revenue Tax update
Updates the Personalized Income Tax code to be in compliance with federal tax rules
CNIT Update & Revised Filing Day
Updates the Corporate Web Cash flow Tax code to be in compliance with federal tax rules.
Intermodal
Terminates funding of the Specific Railroad and Intermodal Enhancement Fund starting January 1, 2016. The supply of funding is corporate web income taxes.
Racetrack and Historic Hotel Modernization Funds Cessation
Finishes the Licensed Racetrack Modernization Fund and Historic Hotel Modernization Fund and moves all cash at the moment in this kind of cash to the Standard Income Fund.
Cessation of Deposit into Highway Fund from Sales Tax for FY2016
Eradicates for fiscal year 2016 the deposit of revenue tax proceeds into the State Street Fund from revenue of development and routine maintenance resources obtained by a next get together for use in the building or routine maintenance of a freeway task.
These kinds of income tax proceeds will be deposited into the Common Income Fund in lieu of the Point out Highway Fund.
Condition Support Formulation Modifications
Removes the Development County College Facilities Act, which allowed expansion county boards of schooling to designate standard fund revenues from new development (rising home taxes) for placement in a development county college facilities act fund.
Adjusts the formulas for the foundation allowance for equally professional educators and service staff.
Adjusts and eliminates specified changes to the basis allowance for transportation fees (increasing bus lifestyle from twelve to 15 several years and mileage from one hundred eighty,000 to 225,000 miles).
Adjusts the calculation for the foundation allowance to boost instructional applications.
Eliminates specific limits in the computation of the nearby share applicable to progress county schools.
Infrastructure Fund Excess Lottery Deposit Reduction
Decreases the yearly deposit of Surplus Lottery revenues to the Infrastructure Fund from $40 million to $30 million for fiscal year 2017.
Boosts the proportion of funds that may possibly be disbursed from the Infrastructure Fund in the form of grants from 20% to 50% for fiscal year 2017.
SBA Deposit Reduction
Decreases for fiscal 12 months 2017 the once-a-year deposit of product sales tax proceeds into the University Constructing Authority’s School Major Improvement Fund from $5 million to $four million (was reduced for FY16 to $three million).
Decreases for fiscal yr 2017 the University Creating Authority’s College Design Fund from $27,216,996 to $24,216,996 (was decreased for FY16 to $21,216,996).
Photos offered for media use. All pictures should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
By Governor Earl Ray Tomblin on 2016-01-13 19:fifty:fifty two