Today, the House discussed the Budget Bill. Several amendments were offered to House Bill
4023 and all were rejected. House Bill 4023 was amended into Senate Bill 250.
The amended Budget Bill, now Senate Bill 250, appropriates funding for the state and its agencies during the fiscal year 2023. Below is a breakdown of some of the line items in the budget.
Appropriations from general revenue, which totals $4,641,378,000, including claims against state:
- Legislative, which includes Senate, House, and Joint Expenses: $26,096,694
- Judicial: $149,908,338
- Governor’s Office: $10,488,332
- Auditor’s Office: $2,487,115
- Treasurer’s Office: $3,514,380
- Department of Agriculture: 25,077,648
- Attorney General: $5,203,194
- Secretary of State: $950,738
- Department of Administration: $107,877,676
- Department of Commerce: $64,071,610
- Department of Tourism: $7,000,000
- Department of Economic Development: $12,534,591
- Department of Education: $2,030,623,801
- Department of Arts, Culture and History: $10,907,680
- Department of Environmental Protection: $6,781,786
- Department of Health and Human Resources: $1,189,565,047
- Department of Homeland Security: $471,938,825
- Department of Revenue: $32,919,968
- Department of Transportation: $5,219,128
- Department of Veterans’ Assistance: $12,712,658
- Bureau of Senior Services: $19,612,957
- WV Council for Community and Technical College Education: $82,435,026
- Higher Education Policy Commission: $345,303,367
- Miscellaneous Boards and Commissions: $18,129,517
- General Revenue Total: $4,641,360,076
Appropriations from State Road Fund total $1,492,255,013 including claims against state:
- Department of Transportation: $1,491,821,781
Appropriations from Other Funds total $2,002,782,414 including claims against state):
- Legislative: $2,636,623
- Judicial: $1,850,000
- Governor’s Office: $695,914
- Auditor’s Office: $36,525,884
- Treasurer’s Office: $2,842,202
- Department of Agriculture: $20,838,584
- Attorney General: $1,700,639
- Secretary of State: $6,036,718
- Department of Administration: $130,614,813
- Department of Commerce: $47,303,848
- Department of Economic Development: $240,303,389
- Department of Education: $65,271,774
- Department of Arts, Culture, and History: $1,227,512
- Department of Environmental Protection: $66,099,299
- Department of Health and Human Resources: $642,170,325
- Department of Homeland Security: 45,666,044
- Department of Revenue: $454,313,553
- Department of Transportation: $11,767,448
- Department of Veterans’ Assistance: $1,964,234
- Bureau of Senior Services: $10,514,707
- Higher Education Policy Commission: $49,638,332
- Miscellaneous Boards and Commissions: $70,737,759
Appropriations from general revenue fund surplus (often referred to as “back of the budget”)
The total for the General Revenue Surplus is $419,792,150. Additional funding for the following shall be provided if there is a surplus in the FY2023 budget.
- West Virginia University: $14,100,000
- Marshall University: $8,100,000
- Tourism-Brand Promotion: $7,000,000
- Jobs & Hope: $2,771,363
Several other bills passed the House today, including the following:
Senate Bill 181 creates the Core Behavior Health Crisis Service System. This is a 988 National Suicide Prevention hotline center. The Bureau of Health will maintain and operate the system.
Senate Bill 213 establishes a licensed professional counseling compact. This compact will members to practice in other states without additional licensure. Ten states must pass legislation to enter into a compact before it happens. Currently, Maryland and Georgia have compact laws for licensed professional counselors. Alabama has passed legislation, but it is awaiting approval from the governor. Thirteen states are looking at the legislation. Passage of this bill will give West Virginia a seat in the first ten to pass the legislation and a seat at the table as compact rules are discussed.
Senate Bill 274 requires the secretary of the DHHR to allocate CPS workers by Bureau of Social Services’ districts annually. The bill also requires the reporting of this allocation process to the Legislative Oversight Commission of Health and Human Resources Accountability.
Senate Bill 593 expands the definition of criminal justice agency to include the Marshall University Science Center to allow its participation in the WV DNA Database for missing persons, relatives of missing persons, and unidentified remains.
The House is in recess until 7 p.m.
Committees – Today
The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 2:30 p.m. in Room 215E
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 410.
The Finance Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 460.
The Education Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 215E.
The House reconvened at 7 p.m. to receive Senate messages and committee reports. Several bills were read for the first time and will be on second reading tomorrow.
The House is adjourned until 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
Committees – Tonight
The Finance Committee will meet at 8:15 p.m. in Room 460.
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 8:30 p.m. in Room 410.
Committees – Tomorrow, March 9, 2022
The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m.
