House Bill 4343 Would Encourage Innovation to Promote Small Businesses in the Mountain State

Promoting the development and protection of small businesses has been a focus in the House of Delegates during the 2014 Session. The Small Business Emergency Act was passed through the House early this session and is now being considered in the Senate. More recently, legislation has been introduced that aims to revive, renew and rebuild West Virginia’s business climate and create abundant job opportunities.

The West Virginia Project Launchpad Act, or House Bill 4343, would allow the Governor to designate up to 10 geographic areas, maximum of 2,500 acres in size, as economic development launch pads. The selected areas would be home to businesses in the extraction, chemical, and manufacturing industries.

The businesses would have to adopt methods of manufacturing or employ cutting edge technology to help create new jobs. The idea is that these improvements would help to ensure a brighter economic future and more job opportunities for the current work force and the youth of West Virginia. Creating and maintaining these good-paying jobs through small business will allow West Virginia to keep bright, young professionals in the state that may otherwise leave.

Businesses in designated “Launchpad” locations would be eligible for tax exemptions, deductions, abatements or credit from all local taxes. Interested counties and municipalities may apply to become a “Launchpad” with the WV Department of Commerce.

“If businesses use innovation to create new jobs in West Virginia that don’t already exist today, we’re going to help them with this new tax structure,” said Delegate Doug Skaff (D-Kanawha), who is the lead sponsor of the bill. “This legislation is really going to prepare our state for the future.”

The idea for Project Launchpad was developed by Vision Shared Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing together business, labor, government and other diverse interests to develop a strategy that will sustain West Virginia and make the state more economically competitive. Project Launchpad was empowered in 2009 by legislation that gave them the responsibility to make recommendations for economic development in the next generation.

House Bill 4343 has passed through the House Small Business, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Committee and is now being considered by the House Finance Committee.

In the Second Regular Session of the 81st Legislature, both chambers are exploring solutions to the growing methamphetamine use and meth lab problem in West Virginia. Within the last year, law enforcement has busted a record high 533 meth labs – almost double the 2012 total of 288 meth lab busts. Currently, medications that contain pseudoephedrine and like substances must be purchased behind a pharmaceutical counter with identification, because of their use in meth production.

Supporters say that even though some medications would only be available by prescription, medications without pseudoephedrine and like substances would still be available over-the-counter and treat the same symptoms that medications with pseudoephedrine can. According to Senator Ron Stollings, meth labs can be reduced while also providing the medicine to people who need it. Oregon and Mississippi and parts of Missouri and Tennessee have passed similar legislation and have seen a significant decrease in meth labs within the state. Senate President Kessler has said this legislation is the first step in ending the meth drug problem in the state.

Opponents of the bill say that making pseudoephedrine prescription only creates unnecessary obstacles for people who really need it. To purchase a preferred common cold and allergy medicine, people could have to take time out of their day to make additional doctor’s appointments. The medication costs will rise as well due to the added prescription co-pay. A spokeswoman for a group that lobbies for drug manufacturers, Elizabeth Funderburk, said prescriptions for medications are proven not to decrease abuse. Therefore requiring a prescription for medications containing pseudoephedrine wouldn’t stop the abuse of meth.

Opponents to the bill reference Oklahoma and Tennessee for an alternative to prescription regulation. Both states recently passed legislation that created a meth offender registry. Offenders convicted of meth related crimes are added to a registry that restricts them from purchasing the medication all together, or requires them to have a prescription.

* PHOTO: On February 5th, the Pseudoephedrine Bill passed out of the Senate Health & Human Resources Committee and is now in Senate Judiciary. Senator Tucker is the bill’s lead sponsor, along with President Kessler, Senator Stollings, Senator Laird and Senator Plymale. PHOTO: Martin Valent