Senate & House Headed by Republican Leadership for First Time Since 1931
For the first time since 1931, Republicans took full control of the legislative branch of government in the state when members gaveled in on Jan. 14 to begin the business of the First Regular Session of the 82nd West Virginia Legislature.
The Senate is led by new President Bill Cole (R-Mercer, 6th District) and Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael (R-Jackson, 4th District). New Speaker Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha, 40th District) and Majority Leader Daryl Cowles (R-Morgan, 58th District) comprise the top of the new leadership team in the House of Delegates.
The Republicans have set up an aggressive agenda for the session that includes tort reform, education reform and government audits to determine where government waste can be eliminated.
The Legislature completed legislative action on its first bill of the session with the passage of House Bill 2001 on Jan. 28. The legislation repeals sections of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act but leaves in language that creates net metering for customer generators, which gives credits to customers with solar or wind power systems that generate electricity for the power grid.
The original law passed in 2009 required power companies in the state to use fuels other than coal for a portion of their electricity production a decade from now. The law required power plants to reach thresholds for using alternative fuels, ultimately to account for 25 percent of electricity generated by 2025.
Cole believes that repealing this law will help the coal industry and keep utility rates low for state residents as alternative fuels are currently more costly than coal.
“I have nothing against solar and wind power but the technology is not there yet to make those options the most affordable to customers, Cole said. “The Legislature should not dictate our energy source. We need to let the free market decide that.”
Armstead was pleased that the Legislature acted swiftly to complete action on a bill that is expected to help the coal industry.
“Today’s passage of this legislation will free our state’s utility industry from a flawed regulatory scheme, help reduce the threat of electricity rate increases and provide greater opportunities for our hardworking coal miners,” Armstead said.
