Capital Eye Vol. 16, No. 1 - Legislative Update Week 1: What's the Rush?

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The legislative session started out with a BANG on day one as the Senate leadership promptly used their super majority to suspend the rules, ram through 23 bills and send them to the House. The House is moving mostly at the normal pace, but their Finance committee pulled a fast one on Thursday and added the governor’s 50% personal income tax cut to their agenda at the last minute and passed it out to the floor. Keep reading for more on the big things that happened during the first week of the 2023 legislative, along with actions you can take, and resources for staying up to date. Also, be sure to check our events calendar for opportunities for learning and action.

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What’s the Rush? – Legislative Session Kicks Off with a Bang
The legislative session started out with a BANG on day one as the Senate leadership promptly used their super majority to suspend the rules, ram through 23 bills and send them to the House. The House is moving mostly at the normal pace, but their Finance committee pulled a fast one on Thursday and added the governor’s 50% personal income tax cut to their agenda at the last minute and passed it out to the floor. More here, plus actions you can take, and resources for staying up to date.
Tagged: Budget priorities, Kids and families

Big Things That Happened – Week 1
Here’s a quick recap of the big things that happened during the first week of the 2023 legislative session.
Tagged: Budget priorities, Fair taxation, Healthcare, Kids and families

PRESS RELEASE: Gary Zuckett, WV Citizen Action, Statement on 2023 WV State of State
Governor’s State of State presented through ‘Rose Colored Glasses’ - Part pep rally, part campaign opener for a potential US Senate run in 2024, Governor Jim Justice presented a rosy picture of his tenure as CEO of West Virginia and our future prospects.
Tagged: Inequality, Kids and families, Working Families

Climate Eye – Week 1
WV CAG is proud to support the West Virginia Environmental Council in their work toward the coalition’s 2023 legislative priorities this session. Please sign up to receive updates and action alerts from their lobby team on the ground in the Capitol. A number of environmental-focused bills have already started the rounds at the statehouse, many positive and some concerning. See some highlights here.
Tagged: Clean Energy, Climate Justice, Energy, Environment

Tell WV DEP to Protect Communities from Dangerous Ethylene Oxide Pollution
Written comments on the renewal of Union Carbide’s operating permit for its Distribution System for Ethylene Oxide, located in Dunbar, WV will be accepteduntil 5pm on Friday, January 20. This is an air quality, public health, environmental justice issue. Take this action because you are affected or as a show of solidarity with the affected communities.
Tagged: Discrimination, Environment, Inequality, Pollution

“Leading with Justice” Legislative Breakfast and Day of Action
On Wednesday, January 11th, the West Virginia Criminal Law Reform Coalition, a group of West Virginia-based organizations partnering in pursuit of systemic changes to the state's criminal legal system, hosted a "Leading for Justice" legislative breakfast and day of action to bring awareness to the issues constituents hope to see addressed during the 2023 legislative session.
Tagged: Civil Justice, Voting Rights

Advocates Call for Local & Legislative Action, Funding for Community Support Services to Address School Suspension Disparities
The impact of school discipline “falls heavily on the most marginalized, and the poorest people. And the cycle will be perpetuated until we come together and figure out how to address it today.” This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, lets lift our collective voices to call on lawmakers to address inequities in school discipline, and to advocate for just, fair and equitable allocation of ARPA funds to help our most vulnerable.
Tagged: Discrimination, Education, Inequality, Kids and families

WV NAACP Day at the Legislature: Shifting the Narrative on MLK, Jr. Day
This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, advocates and supporters are working to reframe the King Day narrative and focus on the power of healing and called for action on policies to reduce West Virginia’s disparities. More on shifting the King Day narrative here from Rev. Ron English, President of the Charleston Branch of the NAACP.
Tagged: Discrimination, Inequality, Poverty