Action Alert

WV Legislative Wrap Up

March 14, 2004

Sunday Morning Legislative Wrap-Up 3-14-04

I ‘m heading home for some needed rest but wanted to fill folks in on some highlights of the last night of the session. We’ll provide more detailed info in our next Capitol Eye. Thanks for all your calls, e-mails and support on these legislative issues.

Remember you can find out details on all bills passed at http://www.legis.state.wv.us/legishp.html

Gary Zuckett, for WV-CAG

Bills we supported:

Water Quantity bill passed midday on Saturday!

Study Resolution on Clean Elections passed the House but ran out of time in the Senate. We’re hoping to convince them to so the study anyhow.

Rx Availability bill passed in fairly decent shape!

Insurance Rate Roll-Back died in Senate.

Bills we Opposed:

Coal Truck Rules passed. Another gift to Big Coal.

Public Private Transportation died in committee.

Another Tax break on thin-seam coal passed (and we wonder why the state is broke?)

The (needed) Insurance Fraud bill passed, but with toned-down language to allow insurers more flexibility to drop policyholders, including a provision to drop 1% for any reason.

And the horrendous EQB bill Died! We watched in the Senate gallery as the clock ticked closer to midnight and bills were received from the House. Going in numerical order we listened as they received and passed bills in the 500’s, then 600’s. The last bill passed was SB700, the budget bill and then the gavel went down before SB 724 (up next) was taken up.

Phew, talk about a cliff-hanger! Don Garvin, the E-Council’s lead lobbyist, gave out a whoop heard by all in the Senate as we breathed a sigh of relief & appreciation for the favor father time had bestowed upon us…

from the computer of

Linda Mallet

WV-Citizen Action Group

1500 Dixie St., Charleston, WV 25311

304-346-5891 (phone); 304-346-8981 (fax)

www.wvcag.org