The Joint Standing Judiciary Committee met on July 25, 2022 to hear a presentation on workload studies of West Virginia courts.

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has contracted with the National Center for State Courts to perform three studies, two of which are Delphi studies and one that is a time and motion study. The Delphi studies take expert opinions from a panel of judges who process specific cases. They explain the time and work that goes into various types of cases. The Time and Motion Study requires judges to track all work, case and non-case related for one month. Then, weights are applied to various tasks. All tasks required to complete a case is added up. The more complex the case usually means a higher weight.

The Delphi Studies are studying workload for the magistrates and the family/circuit courts. These studies should be complete January 5, 2023. The Time and Motion study is on the family/circuit courts. The Supreme Court of Appeals plans to have it complete in July 2023.

These studies are being completed because of requests of the Legislature, as well as complaints from magistrates that the workload is too high. There have been issues in single magistrate districts when a judge must be recused from a case. Last year, there were about 585 recusals from magistrate, family, and circuit courts. If a judge in a single magistrate district is recused, it sets off an administrative chain to find a different magistrate and can cause the case to be moved.

Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston told the committee on Sunday afternoon that inflation continues to be a hindrance to road construction projects across West Virginia.

Specifically, Winston spoke of supply chain issues and the difficulty purchasing and maintaining vehicles and construction equipment amid 9.1 percent inflation in the last 12 months and a 1.3 percent increase in June alone.

Wriston noted that with those challenges, it has been impossible for state dollars to keep pace. The state ended the fiscal year roughly $72 million below projections for the state Road Fund. The fund comes from a mix of sources, including gasoline tax, licenses and registration fees and federal reimbursements.

Wriston pointed out that those revenue streams are down across the board, but the gasoline tax revenue has declined the most, amid soaring gas prices in recent months.

Jason Haught, PEIA interim director and chief financial officer, briefed the committee on the agency’s most recent finance board meeting as well as general topics, during Sunday afternoon’s interim meeting at the Capitol.

Haught explained to members that PEIA expenses continue to outpace current budgets. He noted that if nothing changes between now and the first quarter of next year, PEIA will need a 12 percent premium increase in 2024 for the non-state fund and a $56 million increase for the in-state fund. Haught noted that the $56 million would likely come from the PEIA rainy day fund.

Haught explained how, in the past, West Virginia and in-state providers have agreed to accept PEIA rates as a “reciprocal agreement to provide incentive for higher in-state carrier utilizations and savings to the taxpayer.”

According to Haught, PEIA reimburses out-of-state providers based upon the United Healthcare National Network Rate. All out of state care, with the exception of border counties, must have prior approval.

A PEIA member who seeks treatment out-of-state without prior approval is responsible for 30 percent of the cost, as opposed to 20 percent for in-state treatment.

Jim Kaufman, CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association and Jody Ratliff, from Emergency Medical Services also spoke to the committee regarding PEIA rates.

The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development met on July 24, 2022 and heard a presentation on Veterinarian Technician Programs in the state.

Registered Veterinarian Technicians (Vet Tech) can do a lot of aspects of veterinarian services. They work to amplify the practice. There is a critical need for Vet Techs in the state. In West Virginia, there are 704 licensed veterinarians, but only 235 licensed veterinarian technicians. This is the equivalent of 1 nurse for every three doctors. The vet tech profession is expected to see 15 percent growth in the next 10 years. Vet techs make about $36,000 a year.

Veterinarians need well-trained Vet Techs to assist them in their practice. On average 90 students will go into a veterinarian program and only 20 will graduate. This leaves 70 individuals with an interest in the veterinarian field available to become a Vet Tech if they had the correct competencies.

In addition to private practice, vet techs can also work for the Department of Defense, the meat and poultry industry, state meat inspection, animal research facilities, the racing industry, and more.

Currently, there are 227 vet tech programs in the US and only 25 of them are 4-year bachelor’s programs. In WV, there are no bachelor’s programs. More than 90 percent of the vet tech curriculum is available at WVSU and WVU through other programs such as biology and animal care. It was suggested that students could take additional courses to meet all the competencies required to sit for the vet tech national exam. This is a cost-effective way to fill the gap in veterinarian care, prepare students for an open job market, and allow students to work through veterinarian school or other post-graduate programs.

To become a Vet Tech in WV, an individual must complete the needed competencies through coursework and take the jurisprudence exam to show an understanding of state veterinarian laws. If the individual was employed in another state, they must submit a letter from previous employers.